Those metals below carbon in
the reactivity series are extracted by reduction by carbon.
Reactive metals, metals that
are more reactive than carbon are extracted by electrolysis as carbon
would not be able to displace the metals from its oxide ore.
Two metals extracted by reduction are
iron and zinc.
The reduction is carried out in a blast
furnace.
The raw materials are the ore
(hematite in the case of iron, and zinc blende in the case of zinc),
coke and limestone.
Limestone removes impurities.
Another use of limestone is
in the production of lime (CaO) and slaked lime (Ca(OH)2).