Concept:
The dead-man zone is the central region at the bottom of a blast furnace where:
- coke particles are relatively stagnant
- minimal movement occurs
- acts as a porous coke bed supporting liquid flow
Step 1: Understand furnace zones.
In the hearth:
- molten iron and slag flow downward
- coke remains relatively solid and stationary
Step 2: Nature of dead-man zone.
It consists primarily of:
- large coke particles
- undissolved solid carbon structure
Step 3: Evaluate options.
(A) slag → liquid phase, not stagnant structure
(B) iron → molten, flows out
(C) coke particles → correct
(D) iron fines → not stable phase here
Final Answer:
\[
\boxed{\text{Undissolved solid coke particles}}
\]