Aluminium: electrolysis, smelting or recycling? Aluminum (Al) is a chemical element that is part of the boron group and is the most abundant metal in the earth's crust. Aluminum is the second most used metal after steel and is used in construction, packaging, household utensils, sporting goods and the automotive industry. In 2009, more than 3.4 million tons of aluminum were deposited in the U.S. waste stream, regardless of recycling efforts. This essay will discuss the different options for producing aluminum, such as electrolysis, smelting, and recycling. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Mining aluminum is expensive, mainly due to the electricity consumed by aluminum smelters. Aluminum forms strong chemical bonds with oxygen (aluminum oxide or alumina) and electricity must pass through it to separate the elements. Alumina is extracted from the ore known as bauxite, and the bauxite is purified to produce alumina for aluminum mining. The electrolysis of alumina takes place in carbon-coated steel cells, through which an electric current passes. Aluminum oxide is dissolved in molten cryolite, a compound of aluminum and sodium fluorides (Na3AlF6) with a melting point of approximately 960°C. At the bottom of each pot, the negative electrode (cathode) and positive electrode (anode) are made of graphite, a form of carbon. Inside the vessel, the alumina is dissolved in a molten electrolyte and its ions are free to move. The aluminum ion is reduced: Al3+ + 3 e− → Al, and carbon dioxide is formed at the positive electrodes: 2 O2− → O2 + 4 e−. Eventually, the carbon anode is discarded and the positive electrodes must be replaced regularly, which becomes expensive. Aluminum smelting is the process of extracting aluminum from its oxide, generally using the Hall-Héroult process. The Hall-Héroult process involves dissolving alumina in molten cryolite and electrolyzing the molten salt bath, usually in a purpose-built cell. An aluminum smelter consumes so much electricity that it is usually built near hydroelectric power plants. During the smelting process, a large amount of carbon is released and, as a result, frequent greenhouse gas emissions occur. The Hall-Héroult electrolysis process is the main production route for primary aluminum. Aluminum mining has both advantages and disadvantages. Aluminum mining consumes about 5% of the electricity generated in the United States. The cost of smelting aluminum and providing the electricity needed for electrolysis is very high, which is why smelting sites are built in areas where electricity is cheap. It is a continuous and efficient process and the resulting aluminum has a purity of 99.99%. Furthermore, the process of extracting aluminum also wastes a large amount of fluorine. Unless manufacturers are careful about waste, hydrogen fluoride is very dangerous because it is toxic to vegetation and the environment. However, most companies are not environmentally friendly because cleaning after extraction is time-consuming and expensive. Aluminum recycling dates back to the early 1900s and is still done today for sources such as airplanes, automobiles, computers, kitchenware, etc. Recycling aluminum involves a simple process of remelting the metal, which is less expensive and energy-intensive than producing new aluminum via electrolysis and mining bauxite ore. Recycling.