Aluminum is a material that is very abundant in the Earth's crust (8%), although it is rarely found free due to its high reactivity, so it is normally found forming hydroxides and oxides, which in turn are mixed with oxides of other metals and with silica. This mixture in mineral form is known as bauxite, therefore the process of obtaining and manufacturing aluminum begins from there.
Manufacturing of Aluminum
The manufacturing of aluminum is divided into:
Extraction of Bauxite
Bauxite is refined and reduced through washing to achieve alumina powder.
Smelting
It begins with a technique called Hall-Héroult, in which alumina (Al2O3) is dissolved in a vat with melted mineral cryolite (Na3AlF6), internally lined with carbon in an electrolytic bath.
Alumina decomposes into aluminum and molecular oxygen.
As liquid aluminum is denser than cryolite, it settles at the bottom of the vat, in a way that is protected from oxidation at high temperatures. Oxygen is deposited on the carbon electrodes, burning and producing CO2.
Cooling of Aluminum
The molten aluminum is cooled in molds to shape it into ingots and it is sold to manufacturers in this form, however a temperature of 680º C is necessary to melt the newly produced aluminum, so currently additives such as magnesium, silicon, manganese, etc. are added. And thus prepare different alloys that later make up the mechanical properties. Therefore, the processing possibilities of the client can be established at a very early stage.
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