Given below are two statements :

Statement I : In the metallurgy process, sulphide ore is converted to oxide before reduction.

Statement II : Oxide ores in general are easier to reduce.

In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

Option A is the correct answer. <br/><br/><b>Statement I :</b> In the metallurgy process, sulphide ore is converted to oxide before reduction. <br/><br/>This is correct. In metallurgy, it is common to first convert sulphide ores to oxides because it's typically easier to reduce oxides to extract the metal. This process is known as roasting, where the sulphide ore is heated in the presence of air to convert it into an oxide. <br/><br/>$2 \mathrm{ZnS}+3 \mathrm{O}_2 \rightarrow 2 \mathrm{ZnO}+2 \mathrm{SO}_2$ <br/><br/><b>Statement II :</b> Oxide ores in general are easier to reduce. <br/><br/>This is also correct. Oxides are generally easier to reduce than most other types of compounds. This is because the bond between metal and oxygen in metal oxides is often weaker than the bond between metal and other elements in various types of ores. For example, the C-O bond in CO₂ (a product of the reduction of a metal oxide) is weaker and more easily broken than the C-S bond in CS₂ (a product of the reduction of a metal sulphide), making CO₂ more volatile and easier to remove from the system. <br/><br/>So, both Statement I and Statement II are correct, making Option A the right choice.