Which one of the following metals can be extracted using carbon as reducing agent ?

The extraction of a metal from its ore depends on its position in the reactivity series. Metals with moderate reactivity, such as Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), and Tin (Sn), are typically extracted by reducing their oxides using carbon (coke) as a reducing agent.

• Zinc: Zinc oxide (ZnO) is reduced to metallic zinc by heating it with carbon at high temperatures. The chemical reaction is: ZnO + C → Zn + CO.
• Aluminum: Being highly reactive, it has a stronger affinity for oxygen than carbon does. Therefore, it cannot be reduced by carbon and is extracted via electrolytic reduction.
• Gold and Silver: These are noble metals with very low reactivity. They often occur in a native state or are extracted using chemical leaching (cyanide process) rather than carbon reduction.