AECH 1103 | Topic 6.2 Metal Industry: Aluminum

Aluminum

It is the third-most abundant element in the earth's crust.

1. Strong

2. Lightweight

3. Durable

4. Resistant to corrosion

5. Malleable

6. Ductile

7. Odorless

8. Conductive

9. Non-combustible

These are the characteristics aluminum possesses, which is why it is preferred.

1. Power Lines

2. Electrical Equipment

3. High-rise Buildings

4. Window Frames

5. Consumer Electronics

These are five uses of aluminum.

Bauxite

It is the most common raw material used to produce alumina for aluminum metal production.

Bauxite

It is a rock that is mainly composed of various minerals.

Bauxite

It is the primary ore for aluminum.

tropical, sub-tropical, Africa, West Indies, South America, Australia

Fill in the blanks.

Bauxite occurs mainly in _________ and ___________ areas like ________, the ___________, ______________, and _____________-.

1. Preparation of Mining Area

2. Bauxite Mining

3. Crushing

4. Ore Conveyors

5. Rehabilitation

These are the five steps in bauxite mining.

• Air pollution from bauxite dust

• Aluminum hydroxide: could be detrimental to health, as pain and reddening of the nose, coughing, and pain and redness of the skin, along with peeling and itching of the eyes, are among the significant effects of exposure to bauxite dust.

• Neurological problems such as chronic brain syndrome, anxiety for no reason, forgetfulness, or Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease in adults

• Titanium oxide: effective for those who suffer from eczema, skin problems, heart problems, and liver problems.

• Content of reactive silica in bauxite is 1-8 percent. Exposure to high concentrations can cause shortness of breath, chest pain, fatigue, fainting, or even death.

These are the effects of bauxite on the environment.

• Bauxite

• Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide)

• Cryolite

• Carbon electrodes

• Aluminum fluoride

These are the raw materials used in the production of aluminum.

Bauxite

This raw material used in the production of aluminum consists of 45-60% aluminum oxide, along with various impurities such as sand, iron, and other metals.

Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide)

This raw material used in the production of aluminum is used to dissolve the aluminum compounds found in the bauxite, separating them from the impurities.

Cryolite

This raw material used in the production of aluminum is a chemical compound composed of sodium, aluminum, and fluorine and is used as the electrolyte (current-conducting medium) in the smelting operation.

Carbon electrodes

This raw material used in the production of aluminum transmits the electric current through the electrolyte.

Aluminum fluoride

This raw material used in the production of aluminum is added to lower the melting point of the electrolyte solution.

Bayer Process

This manufacturing process of aluminum refines the bauxite ore to obtain aluminum oxide.

Hall-Heroult Process

This manufacturing process of aluminum refers to smelting the aluminum oxide to release pure aluminum.

Extruding

This aluminum transformation is for shaping aluminum using ready-made or tailored profiles.

Rolling

This aluminum transformation refers to rolling aluminum, given its extreme malleability, from 60 cm to 2 mm and further processed into foil as thin as 0.006 mm and still be completely impermeable to light, aroma, and taste.

Casting

This changes the properties of aluminum, adding strength, brilliance, and/or ductility.

1. Environmental

2. Economic

3. Community Benefits

These are the reasons why aluminum should be recycled.

1. The Loading Conveyor

2. The Shredder

3. The Magnetic Separator

4. De-coating

5. Furnace Holding Furnace

6. Rolling Mill

This is the recycling process of aluminum.