Fused Salt Electrolysis Production of Aluminum

Global aluminum production in 2009 was 45 Mio. tonnes. The majority (37 Mt) was primary aluminum produced by processing bauxite to alumina and smelting and reducing the alumina to aluminum 8 Mt was secondary aluminum recovered from scrap generated in aluminum production and old or post-consumer scrap (GDA, 2011). Table 6.19.11 shows the global production of aluminum and also of some other selected metals in 2008. 

Aluminum oxide, also known as alumina, is the main component of bauxite, the principal ore of aluminum. The bauxite ore is made up of impure AI2O3, Fe203, and Si02. Typically, the content of AI2O3 in bauxite is about 40wt%. In the Bayer process, AI2O3 is dissolved in sodium hydroxide, then precipitates as Al(OH)3. 

Schematic representation of a cell for fused salt electrolysis of aluminum. 

Alumina is then further reduced via an electrolysis process (Hall-Heroult process) to liquid Al  

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