Question

How are the less reactive metals extracted? Give an example.

Answer 1

The less reactive metals are extracted from their ores by first converting the ore to metal oxide and then reducing the metal oxide to metal by heating it.
Example: Cinnabar (HgS) is heated in air to form mercury (II) oxide. On heating the mercuric oxide to about ${300}^o\text{C}$, the metal oxide decomposes to give the metal mercury.