V 1st Step: Removal of impurities from the ore by

dissolving powdered bauxite in p
 




p  
 solution.

Al2O3 (s) + 2 OH- (aq) +3 H2O (l)---->2[Al(OH)4]- (aq)

V SiO2 (s) + OH- (aq) -îîî SiO32- (aq) + H2O(l)
V 2nd Step: Insoluble impurities are filtered off.
Filtrate contain aluminium and silicon ions.
Aluminium ion is precipitated as aluminium
hydroxide which is filtered out later as white
gelatinous precipitate.
V 3rd Step:Aluminium hydroxide is filtered,
washed, dried and finally heated out to 1200oC
to produce pure aluminium oxide(alumina),
Al2O3
2Al(OH)3 (s) --¨îîî Al2O3 (s) +
3H2O(g)
V Hall-Heroult process: - A process of
electrolysing aluminium oxide(alumina) to
extract out aluminium.
Aluminium metal is extracted by the cell
electrolytic reduction of alumina.Melting point
of alumina is 2030oC. To lower the temperature
of the electrolte,alumina is dissolved in molten
cryolite (Na3AlF6),to maintain a temperature at
about 960oC.
V ëhen alumina dissolve in molten cryolite :

Al2O3 ----îîî 2Al3+(l) + 3O2-(l)

(Molten cryolite at 960oC)

V lectrolyte mixture is then placed in carbon-

lined iron vat(cathode). The heating effect of
the electric current melts the electrolyte
mixture, producing Na+ , Al3+, O2- and F- ions.
V Overall : 2Al3+ + 3O2- -- îî 2Al (l) + 3/2
O2(g)