The term REFINES, AS METAL can be solved by the crossword solution SMELTS, which is a six-letter word. Smelting is a process of heating and melting ore to separate out the metal from other elements. This process is used to refine metals such as iron, copper, and lead. The smelting process involves heating the ore to a very high temperature in order to separate the metal from other elements. The metal is then cooled and shaped into the desired form.