Steel slag can be the material for which of the following ? 1. Construction of base road 2. Improvement of agricultural soil 3. Production of cement Select the correct answer using the code given below :

Explains that impurities combine with limestone to form slag during iron/steel making, identifying slag as a common by‑product of steel production.

A student could infer slag is widely available near steel plants and then check local maps or industry locations to judge availability and logistics for using it in road bases.

Shows that industrial by‑products (fly ash) are already accepted as fill/base materials in road construction, giving a precedent for using other industrial wastes like slag.

One could extend this analogy by comparing known properties and standards for fly ash base use to published tests for steel slag (e.g., compaction, drainage, durability) to assess suitability.

Notes industries based on bulky raw materials locate close to sources to minimise transport costs, implying heavy by‑products (slag) would be economical to use near steel plants.

A student could use maps of steel plants and road projects to evaluate whether proximity makes slag a cost‑effective base material option.

Summarizes iron and steel properties (strength, toughness, elasticity), suggesting materials associated with steel production may yield mechanically robust aggregates.

One could reason that if slag inherits mechanical robustness, lab tests for load‑bearing, abrasion and toughness would help confirm its fitness as a base material.

States steel is central to construction and many secondary industries, implying large volumes of steel production (and hence slag) exist that might be repurposed for construction uses.

A student could combine this with production statistics (outside these snippets) to estimate potential slag supply for road base applications in a region.

Defines soil reclamation as restoring lost fertility, minerals and nutrients to make land fit for agriculture — indicates that adding substances to restore minerals is an accepted remediation strategy.

A student could check whether steel slag supplies minerals (e.g., calcium, iron) that match reclamation goals for specific degraded soils.

Lists 'proper disposal of industrial and urban solid and liquid wastes' and 'reuse and recycle of resources' as measures to control soil pollution — connects industrial by‑products with soil management.

One could investigate if steel slag, as an industrial by‑product, is among materials being recycled into soils under such reuse practices.

States that soils vary in mineral content (iron, aluminium, calcium, potash, silica) and that these minerals affect fertility — implies adding mineral sources can alter soil fertility.

A student could compare typical mineral composition of steel slag with minerals beneficial/needed in target soils to judge potential amendment value.

Notes saline and alkaline soils are 'reclaimed by chemical fertilisers and biological manures and fertilisers' — shows chemical and mineral amendments are an accepted reclamation method.

Using that pattern, one could test whether slag’s chemical properties (e.g., alkalinity, Ca content) would help or harm saline/alkaline soil reclamation.

Describes how added manures alter physical properties (water holding, aeration) and add nutrients, illustrating typical goals when adding amendments to soils.

A student might assess whether slag would influence soil physical properties or nutrient supply similarly (e.g., improve structure, add micronutrients).

Describes that impurities in iron-making combine with limestone to form slag — showing slag is a by-product of the iron/steel process.

A student could note that slag is an available industrial by-product and therefore plausibly examinable as a raw material for other industries (like cement) or as a recycled input.

States limestone is used both in the cement and the iron and steel industries — indicating shared raw-material chemistry between the two sectors.

Combine this with the fact that steelmaking produces limestone-derived slag to hypothesize chemical compatibility and then check technical sources for slag cementitious properties.

Notes cement production is highly polluting and there is a move towards creating alternative materials that reduce pollution.

Use the policy/industry incentive clue to infer cement manufacturers might adopt industrial by-products (e.g., slag) to lower pollution and test this by looking for examples or regulations encouraging by-product use.

Lists minerals (dolomite, gypsum) used in cement and iron & steel industries, reinforcing that several materials and additives overlap between these industries.

Use the overlap pattern to suspect other steel-related materials (like slag) could serve as cement additives and then seek technical compatibility evidence.

Explains 'basic industries' supply raw materials to other industries, illustrating industrial linkages and material flows between sectors.

Apply this general pattern to consider steel/iron industry outputs (including by-products) as potential inputs to the cement industry and then verify specific examples or proximity of plants.