Aluminium

Extraction and Uses

 Aluminium Mining
• Aluminium Ore is
called Bauxite.
• Bauxite is a red
mineral made of
aluminium oxide and
iron oxides.
• Bauxite is mined in
various places, e.g.
Russia, Jamaica
 Bauxite Purification
• Bauxite is heated with
sodium hydroxide.
• This dissolves the
alumina but not the other
minerals.
• The residue is filtered off
and disposed of.
• The filtrate is acidified
and heated to produce
pure alumina, aluminium
oxide powder.
 Extracting aluminium
• Aluminium is more reactive
than carbon.
• So carbon will not reduce
aluminium oxide.
• Aluminium cannot be
extracted in a blast furnace.
• Aluminium is extracted
using electricity in a
process called electrolysis.
The electrolysis cell
 How it works
Direct Al2O3 2Al3+ + 3O2-
Current

Anode
+

Al3+
O2-
O 2-
O 2-
O2-
O2-
O2- Al3+ Al3+ Al 3+

Cathode -
 At the anode

eO
- 2--
e
O- 2e-
e
O2-
O2-
CO2
anode O2-
O
e-2-e-
O- 2e-
e
O2-

+
positive 2O2-  O2 + 4e-
O2 + C  CO2
 At the cathode

e- e-
Al
Al3+ e-

Cathode

e- e-
Al3+
Al e-

Al3+ + 3e-  Al
-
l iq u id al negative
 Quick Review
Direct
Current

Anode
Anode
++ CO2
CO2
O2
Al3+
O2-
O 2-
O 2-
O2-
O2-
O2- Al3+ Al3+ Al 3+

Cathode -
 At the electrodes.
• At the negative • At the positive anode
cathode
• Negative oxide ions
• Positive Aluminium drift to the positive
ions drift to the anode.
cathode. • They lose electrons
• They gain electrons and become oxygen
and become gas molecules.
aluminium atoms
• Al3+ + 3e-  Al • 2O2-  O2 + 4e-
Making stuff
 Uses of aluminium
• Power cables • Light
• Saucepans • Light, unreactive
• Aeroplanes • Light
• Bicycles • Light, doesn’t rust
• Cars • Light, doesn’t rust
• Battleships • Light, radar quiet
• Cooking foil • Reflective, unreactive
• Cans • Unreactive
• Space blankets • Reflective
• Statues • Unreactive
• Window frames • Unreactive