Explain in detail:
All methods of Extraction of Aluminum From Bauxite.
Explain in detail:
All methods of Extraction of Aluminum From Bauxite.
Aluminium ore is called bauxite. The bauxite is purified to yield a white powder, aluminiumoxide, from which aluminium can beextracted. The extraction is done by electrolysis. But first the aluminium oxide must be made molten so that electricity can pass through it.
Extraction of aluminium Aluminium is the most abundant (found in large quantities) metal in the Earth's crust. It is expensive, largely because of the amount of electricity required in the extraction process.
Aluminium ore is called bauxite. The bauxite is purified to produce aluminium oxide, a white powder from which aluminium can be extracted.
The extraction is done by electrolysis. The ions in the aluminium oxide must be free to move so that electricity can pass through it. Aluminium oxide has a very high melting point (over 2000°C) so it would be expensive to melt it. Aluminium oxide does not dissolve in water, but it does dissolve in molten cryolite. This is an aluminium compound with a lower melting point than aluminium oxide. The use of cryolite reduces some of the energy costs involved in extracting aluminium.
A cross section through an electrolysis cell for aluminium extraction The diagram shows an aluminium oxide electrolysis cell. The negative electrodes (cathodes) and the positive electrodes (anodes) are made of graphite, a form of carbon.
During electrolysis:
- positively charged aluminium ions gain electrons from the cathode, and form molten aluminium
- oxide ions lose electrons at the anode, and form oxygen molecules
The oxygen reacts with the carbon in the electrodes, forming carbon dioxide which bubbles off. Carbon is therefore lost from the positive electrodes, so they must be replaced frequently. This adds to the cost of the process.
Extraction of aluminium
Aluminium is the most abundant (found in large quantities) metal in the Earth's crust. It is expensive, largely because of the amount of electricity required in the extraction process.
Aluminium ore is called bauxite. The bauxite is purified to produce aluminium oxide, a white powder from which aluminium can be extracted.
The extraction is done by electrolysis. The ions in the aluminium oxide must be free to move so that electricity can pass through it. Aluminium oxide has a very high melting point (over 2000°C) so it would be expensive to melt it. Aluminium oxide does not dissolve in water, but it does dissolve in molten cryolite. This is an aluminium compound with a lower melting point than aluminium oxide. The use of cryolite reduces some of the energy costs involved in extracting aluminium.
A cross section through an electrolysis cell for aluminium extractionThe diagram shows an aluminium oxide electrolysis cell. The negative electrodes (cathodes) and the positive electrodes (anodes) are made of graphite, a form of carbon.
During electrolysis:
- positively charged aluminium ions gain electrons from the cathode, and form molten aluminium
- oxide ions lose electrons at the anode, and form oxygen molecules
The oxygen reacts with the carbon in the electrodes, forming carbon dioxide which bubbles off. Carbon is therefore lost from the positive electrodes, so they must be replaced frequently. This adds to the cost of the process.
