Question

Write the steps involved in the extraction of pure metals in the middle of the activity series from their carbonate ores.

Answer 1

The carbonate ores are changed into oxides by heating strongly in limited air. This process is called calcination. $ZnC{O}_3\left(s\right)\stackrel{heat}{\to }ZnO\left(s\right)+C{O}_2\left(g\right)$
The metal oxides are then reduced to the corresponding metals by using suitable reagents such as carbon. For, example, when zinc oxide is heated with carbon, it is reduced to metallic zinc.

$ZnO+C\to Zn+CO$