Extraction of group 1 and 2 metals is usually done by electrolytic reduction.

Electrolytic reduction:
- Electrolytic reduction is a process in which the metal ions are reduced by the passage of electric current through an electrolyte.
- The electrolyte in this case is a molten salt or an aqueous solution containing the metal ions.
- In the extraction of group 1 and 2 metals, the electrolyte is usually a molten salt.
- The metal ions are attracted to the cathode (negative electrode) where they gain electrons and are reduced to form the metal.
- The metal atoms then collect at the cathode and can be collected as a pure metal.

Reasons for using electrolytic reduction:
- Group 1 and 2 metals are highly reactive and cannot be reduced by traditional methods such as carbon reduction or metal displacement method.
- Carbon reduction is not feasible for these metals because they are more reactive than carbon and will displace carbon from its compounds instead of being reduced themselves.
- Metal displacement method involves using a more reactive metal to displace the less reactive metal from its compound. However, group 1 and 2 metals are the most reactive metals and there are no other metals that are more reactive than them to displace them from their compounds.
- Therefore, electrolytic reduction is the most suitable method for the extraction of group 1 and 2 metals.

Advantages of electrolytic reduction:
- Electrolytic reduction allows for the extraction of pure metals.
- It is a highly efficient process as it can produce large quantities of metals.
- The process can be controlled to produce metals with specific properties.
- Electrolytic reduction is a widely used method in the industry for the extraction of a variety of metals.

In conclusion, electrolytic reduction is the preferred method for the extraction of group 1 and 2 metals due to their high reactivity and the inability to extract them using traditional methods such as carbon reduction or metal displacement. This process allows for the production of pure metals in large quantities and is widely used in the industry.