Extraction of Aluminium

Important ores of aluminium 1. Bauxite 2. Cryolite 3. Feldspar 4. Mica 5. Corundum 6. Alumstone or Alunite Al2O32H2O Na3AlF6 K2OAl2O36SiO2 or KAlSi3O8 K2O3Al2O36SiO22H2O Al2O3 K2SO4Al2(SO4)34Al(OH)3

Aluminium is mainly extracted from bauxite ore. Extraction i) Purification of Bauxite By Bayers process comercially it is being carried out (for red bauxite not for the white bauxite). Flow sheet of Bayers process for the preparation of pure Al2O3
Finely powdered bauxite containing Fe2O3, TiO2.SiO2 as impurities
Calcination (FeO Fe2O3) Organic matters are removed

Calcined ore

(Digested with 45%, NaOH with at 150C under 80 lb pr. Filtered)

Residue (Fe2O3, TiO2)

Filtrate (NaAlO2 + Na2SiO3)

Freshly prepared Al(OH)3 Seeding agent filtered

Precipitate (Al(OH)3
1000C

Filtrate (NaOH, Na2SiO3)

Al2O3 Pure Alumina

Halls process Crude bauxite at 1100C reacts with Na2CO3, little CaCO3 when CaSiO3, NaSiO2, NaFeO2 etc. form Al2O3 + Na2CO3 2NaAlO2 + CO2

Fe2O3 + Na2CO3 2NaFeO2 + CO2 SiO2 + Na2CO3 Na2SiO3 + CO2 CaO + SiO2 CaSiO3 Then at 50 60C CO2is passed through NaAlO2 solution and produces thereby Al(OH)3 2NaAlO2 + CO2 + 3H2O 2Al(OH)3 + Na2CO3
100 C 2Al(OH)3 Al2O3 + 3H2O

Serpecks Process Bauxite containing high percentage of silica can be purified by Serpecks process. In this process finely powdered bauxite is mixedf with coke and the mixture is heated to 1800C in a current of nitrogen. The AlN thus obtained is reacted with hot and dilute NaOH, produced NaAlO2 and excess AlN is hydrolysed and Al(OH)3 is formed. Al2O3 + 3C + N2 3AlN + 3CO SiO2 + 2C Si + 2CO AlN +NaOH NaAlO2 + NH2+ NaAlO2 + 2H2O Al(OH)3 + NaOH AlN + 3H2O Al(OH)3 + NH3
1100 C 2Al(OH)3 Al2O3 3H2O ( cryolite)

Electrolytic reduction of Al2O3 Pure alumina melts at about 2000C and is a bad conductor of electricity. If fused cryolite AlF3.3NaF and CaF2 (Fluorspar) is added the mixture melts at 900C and Al2O3 becomes a good conductor of electricity. Metallic Al is liberated at the cathode Electrolysis of molten mixture Cathode Anode Electrolyte : : : Carbon Graphite rods 60 parts cryolite + 20 parts fluorspar + 20 parts pure Al2O3 900C

Temperature : Reactions

According to the 1st theory the following reaction occurs Al2O3 2Al+3 + 3O2 2Al+3 + 6e 2Al 3O2 6e 3O2

At cathode : At anode :

As cryolite has greater electrochemical stability it does not dissociate. It only increases the dissociation of Al2O3

But the second theory states that, cryolite undergoes electrolytic dissociation first then Al+3 goes to the cathode, produced F2 at anode then reacts with Al2O3 produces AlF3. AlF3.3NaF At cathode : At anode : Al+3 + 3Na+ + 6F Al+3 + 3e Al 6F 6e 3F2 Al2O3 + 6F2 4AlF3 + 3O2 Refining of aluminium The aluminium metal obtained by the electrolysis of fused almina is about 99.5% pure. It can be further refined by Hoopes electrolytic process.