Different methods are used for extracting metals belonging to category of highly reactive metals, moderately reactive metals and less reactive metals. This is because the extraction of a metal from its concentrated ore is essentially a process of reduction of the metal compound present in the ore.
For example: Manganese metal is obtained by the reduction of its oxide with aluminium powder and not carbon. This is because carbon is less reactive than manganese. Carbon, which is a non-metal, is more reactive than zinc and it can be placed just above Zn in the reactivity series.
Hence, carbon can reduce the oxides of zinc and all other metals below zinc to form metals.