Production
Aluminium is produced from ore (primary aluminium) and scrap (recycled aluminium). In 2006 global aluminium production was 60.4 million tonnes - 34 million tonnes metal primary and 16.4 million tonnes recycled metal.
Aluminium ore, most commonly bauxite, is plentiful and occurs mainly in tropical and sub-tropical areas - Africa, West Indies, South America and Australia - with some deposits in Europe.
Bauxite is mined then refined into aluminium oxide trihydrate (alumina) using the Bayer Process, which has changed very little since the first plant opened more than 100 years ago.
Alumina is then electrolytically reduced via a smelting process into metallic aluminium.
Primary aluminium smelting plants are located all over the world, however, because it is an energy-intensive process, they are often in areas where there are abundant supplies of inexpensive energy, such as hydroelectric power.
Once aluminium is formed it is alloyed with other materials to make an array of metals with different properties and it can be processed in any number of ways - rolled, cast, extruded.
It is used in countless applications and products and can be recycled repeatedly.
Two to three tonnes of bauxite are required to produce one tonne of alumina and two tonnes of alumina are required to produce one tonne of aluminium metal.
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