How are metals higher than carbon extracted?

Metals that are positioned higher than carbon in the reactivity series are extracted primarily using electrolysis. This technique is necessary because these metals have a stronger affinity for oxygen compared to carbon, meaning they cannot be reduced from their ores through simple heat or chemical reactions that involve carbon.

In the electrolysis process, the metal ore is dissolved in a molten state or in an aqueous solution, and an electric current is passed through it. This causes the metal ions to migrate to the appropriate electrodes, where they gain electrons and are reduced to their elemental form. The need for electrolysis highlights the high reactivity of these metals, as lower reactivity metals, found below carbon in the reactivity series, can be effectively extracted through simpler methods such as reduction with carbon or heating with air.