Extracting a metal from its ore
Copper, tin, lead, and iron are more reactive and must be heated with carbon to extract the metals. Aluminum, calcium, sodium and other active metals are extracted using electrolysis. Copper can be extracted from its ores by reduction. One of the common copper ores, malachite, which is composed of mainly copper carbonate, CuCO3xCu(OH)2, is heated to produce .