**Cyanide Extraction Process of Silver from Argentite Ore**

**Introduction:**
The cyanide extraction process is commonly used to extract silver from argentite ore. This process involves the use of cyanide as a complexing agent to form a soluble complex with silver ions. The silver ions can then be precipitated or reduced to obtain metallic silver.

**Oxidizing and Reducing Agents:**
In the cyanide extraction process of silver from argentite ore, the oxidizing and reducing agents used are as follows:

- **Oxidizing Agent: O2**
Oxygen gas (O2) is used as the oxidizing agent in this process. It reacts with the cyanide ions to form cyanate ions (CNO-), which are responsible for the complexation of silver ions. The reaction can be represented as follows:
4CN- + O2 → 4CNO-

- **Reducing Agent: Zn Dust**
Zinc dust (Zn) is used as the reducing agent in this process. It reacts with the silver cyanide complex to form metallic silver. The reaction can be represented as follows:
2Ag(CN)2- + Zn → 2Ag + Zn(CN)2

The reducing agent, zinc dust, reduces the silver ions in the complex to metallic silver, while itself gets oxidized to form zinc cyanide.

**Explanation of the Correct Answer (Option B):**
The correct answer to this question is option B, which states that the oxidizing and reducing agents used in the cyanide extraction process of silver from argentite ore are O2 and Zn dust, respectively.

- Oxygen gas (O2) is used as the oxidizing agent. It reacts with the cyanide ions to form cyanate ions, which are responsible for the complexation of silver ions.
- Zinc dust (Zn) is used as the reducing agent. It reacts with the silver cyanide complex to form metallic silver, while itself gets oxidized to form zinc cyanide.

Therefore, option B accurately describes the oxidizing and reducing agents used in the cyanide extraction process of silver from argentite ore.

In conclusion, the cyanide extraction process of silver from argentite ore utilizes oxygen gas as the oxidizing agent and zinc dust as the reducing agent. These agents play crucial roles in the formation of the silver cyanide complex and the subsequent reduction of silver ions to obtain metallic silver.