Leading countries in primary aluminum production

Unlike other metals, the history of aluminum does not go back thousands of years. Although aluminum salts were used as far back as ancient Greece and Rome to make paints and treat wounds, it was only in the 19th century that aluminum salts began to be used to a limited extent for the manufacture of small amounts of luxury goods and expensive jewelry.

Aluminum does not have the high attractiveness of gold and silver; it is not used to protect against inflation and deflation. However, aluminum very closely follows the changes that occur in the surrounding life and leading industries, which makes its price movements more predictable than for precious metals.

Below we will look at the features of investing in aluminum abroad.

Primary aluminum

Because aluminum does not exist in nature as a pure element, the aluminum industry cannot simply dig it out of the ground and sell it to end users. Therefore, the basis of the aluminum industry is the extraction of bauxite. Fortunately, bauxite deposits are found in the form of layers near the earth's surface, and therefore bauxite mining is carried out by open-pit mining. The bauxite is then extracted into a white powder known as alumina. To turn alumina into aluminum, it is subjected to intense heat and a large amount of electric current is passed through it. This process is called aluminum electrolysis or aluminum smelting.

The process of extracting bauxite and turning it into aluminum requires large investments of capital, since the construction of aluminum smelting plants requires the expenditure of significant funds. Moreover, smelting aluminum requires a large amount of electrical energy, which is why many aluminum smelters are located either near hydroelectric power plants, or the aluminum producer builds its own power plants to reduce costs.

How is aluminum ore mined and where is it used?

Aluminum is a metal coated with a matte silver oxide film, the properties of which determine its popularity: softness, lightness, ductility, high strength, corrosion resistance, electrical conductivity and lack of toxicity. In modern high technologies, the use of aluminum is given a leading place as a structural, multifunctional material.

The greatest value for industry as a source of aluminum is natural raw materials - aluminum ore , a component of rock in the form of bauxite, alunite and nepheline.

The industrial scale of the “winged” metal began only in the 20th century. Today, it is one of the sought-after materials in various industries from electronics to the space and aviation industries.

Aluminum ore was first obtained in the form of a silvery metal in 1825 in a volume of just a few milligrams, and before the advent of mass production, this metal was more expensive than gold.

For example, one of the royal crowns of Sweden contained aluminum, and D. I. Mendeleev in 1889 received an expensive gift from the British - scales made of gold and aluminum.

What raw materials are needed to produce aluminum ore? How is one of the most essential materials of our time produced?

Bauxite ore is the basis of global aluminum production

The silver metal itself is directly obtained from alumina.

This raw material is aluminum oxide (Al2O3), obtained from ores:

• Bauxite;
• Alunitov;
• Nepheline syenites.

The most common source of starting material is bauxite, which is considered the main aluminum ore.

Despite the more than 130-year history of discovery, it has still not been possible to understand the origin of aluminum ore. It is possible that simply in each region the raw materials were formed under the influence of certain conditions. And this makes it difficult to derive one universal theory about the formation of bauxite.

There are three main hypotheses about the origin of aluminum raw materials:

1. They were formed due to the dissolution of certain types of limestone as a residual product.
2. Bauxite was obtained as a result of weathering of ancient rocks with their further transport and deposition.
3. The ore is the result of chemical processes of decomposition of iron, aluminum and titanium salts, and fell as sediment.

However, alunite and nepheline ores were formed under different conditions from bauxite. The former were formed under conditions of active hydrothermal and volcanic activity. The second - at high temperatures of magma.

As a result, alunites generally have a crumbly porous structure. They contain up to 40% of various aluminum oxide compounds. But, in addition to the aluminum-bearing ore itself, the deposits, as a rule, contain additives, which affects the profitability of their mining. It is considered profitable to develop a deposit with a 50 percent ratio of alunites to additives.

Nephelines are usually represented by crystalline samples, which, in addition to aluminum oxide, contain additives in the form of various impurities. Depending on the composition, this type of ore is classified into types. The richest contain up to 90% nephelines, second-rate 40-50%; if the minerals are poorer than these indicators, then it is not considered necessary to develop them.

Having an idea of ​​the origin of minerals, geological exploration can quite accurately determine the location of aluminum ore deposits. Also, the formation conditions, which influence the composition and structure of minerals, determine the extraction methods. If the deposit is considered profitable, its development is established.

Properties of aluminum ore

Bauxite is a complex compound of oxides of aluminum, iron and silicon (in the form of various quartz), titanium, as well as with a small admixture of sodium, zirconium, chromium, phosphorus and others.

The most important property in aluminum production is the “breakability” of bauxite. That is, how easy it will be to separate unnecessary silicon additives from it in order to obtain the feedstock for metal smelting.

Natural deposits of bauxite, nepheline, alunite, clay, and kaolin can serve as a source of raw materials. Bauxite is the most saturated with aluminum compounds. Clays and kaolins are the most common rocks with a significant alumina content. Deposits of these minerals are found on the surface of the earth.

Aluminum ore in nature exists only in the form of a binary compound of metal with oxygen. This compound is extracted from natural mining ores in the form of bauxite, consisting of oxides of several chemical elements: aluminum, potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron, titanium, silicon, phosphorus.

The basis for producing aluminum is alumina. To form it, the ore is ground into a fine powder and heated with steam, separating most of the silicon. And this mass will become the raw material for smelting.

To obtain 1 ton of aluminum, you will need about 4-5 tons of bauxite, from which, after processing, about 2 tons of alumina are formed, and only then you can get the metal.

Technology for the development of aluminum deposits. Aluminum ore mining methods

When the depth of occurrence of aluminum-bearing rocks is insignificant, they are mined using open-pit mining. But the process of cutting off ore layers will depend on its type and structure.

• Crystalline minerals (usually bauxite or nepheline) are removed by milling. Mineral miners are used for this purpose. Depending on the model, such a machine can cut a layer up to 600 mm thick. The rock thickness is developed gradually, forming shelves after passing through one layer.

This is done to ensure the safe position of the operator’s cabin and running gear, which in the event of an unexpected collapse will be at a safe distance.

• Loose aluminum-bearing rocks preclude the use of milling. Since their viscosity clogs the cutting part of the machine. Most often, these types of rocks can be cut using mining excavators, which immediately load the ore onto dump trucks for further transportation.

Transporting raw materials is a separate part of the entire process. Usually, whenever possible, enrichment plants try to be built near mining sites. This allows the use of belt conveyors to supply ore for processing. But, more often, confiscated raw materials are transported by dump trucks. The next stage is the enrichment and preparation of rock to obtain alumina.

• The ore is moved using a belt conveyor to the raw material preparation workshop, where a number of crushing devices can be used, crushing the minerals one by one to a fraction of approximately 110 mm.
• The second section of the preparatory workshop supplies prepared ore and additional additives for further processing.
• The next stage of preparation is sintering the rock in furnaces.

Also at this stage, it is possible to process raw materials by leaching with strong alkalis. The result is a liquid aluminate solution (hydrometallurgical processing).

• The aluminate solution goes through a decomposition stage. At this stage, an aluminate pulp is obtained, which in turn is sent for separation and evaporation of the liquid component.
• After which this mass is cleaned of unnecessary alkalis and sent for calcination in ovens. As a result of this chain, dry alumina is formed, which is necessary for the production of aluminum by hydrolysis treatment.

The complex technological process requires large amounts of fuel and limestone, as well as electricity. This is the main factor in the location of aluminum smelters - near a good transport interchange, and the presence of nearby deposits of the necessary resources.

However, there is also a mining method of extraction, when rock is cut out from the layers according to the principle of coal mining. After which the ore is sent to similar plants for enrichment and aluminum extraction.

One of the deepest “aluminum” adits is located in the Urals in Russia, its depth reaches 1550 meters!

Leading countries in aluminum ore production

The main deposits of aluminum are concentrated in regions with a tropical climate, and most of the 73% of deposits are found in just 5 countries: Guinea, Brazil, Jamaica, Australia and India. Of these, Guinea has the richest reserves, more than 5 billion tons (28% of the world share).

If we divide reserves and production volumes, we can get the following picture:

• 1st place – Africa (Guinea).
• 2nd place - America.
• 3rd place – Asia.
• 4th place – Australia.
• 5th – Europe.

The top five countries in aluminum ore production are presented in the table

Also, the main producers of aluminum ores include: Jamaica (9.7 million tons), Russia (6.6), Kazakhstan (4.2), Guyana (1.6).

Development of aluminum ore deposits in Russia

In our country there are several rich deposits of aluminum ores, concentrated in the Urals and in the Leningrad region. But the main method of extracting bauxite in our country is the more labor-intensive closed mine method, which extracts about 80% of the total mass of ores in Russia.

The leaders in deposit development are the joint-stock company Sevuralboxitrude, JSC Baksitogorsk Alumina, and the South Ural Bauxite Mines. However, their reserves are running out. As a result, Russia has to import about 3 million tons of alumina per year.

In total, 44 deposits of various aluminum ores (bauxite, nepheline) have been explored in the country, which, according to estimates, should be enough for 240 years, with such mining intensity as today.

The import of alumina is due to the low quality of the ore in the deposits, for example, bauxite with a 50% alumina composition is mined at the Red Cap deposit, while in Italy rock with 64% aluminum oxide is extracted, and in China 61%.

Applications of Aluminum Ore

Basically, up to 60% of ore raw materials are used to produce aluminum. However, the rich composition makes it possible to extract from it other chemical elements: titanium, chromium, vanadium and other non-ferrous metals, which are necessary primarily as alloying additives to improve the quality of steel.

As mentioned above, the technological chain for producing aluminum necessarily passes through the stage of formation of alumina, which is also used as fluxes in ferrous metallurgy.

The rich composition of elements in aluminum ore is also used to produce mineral paint. Also, the smelting method produces alumina cement - a quickly hardening, strong mass.

Another material obtained from bauxite is electrocorundum. It is obtained by smelting ore in electric furnaces. It is a very hard substance, second only to diamond, making it popular as an abrasive.

Also, in the process of obtaining pure metal, waste is formed - red mud. The element scandium is extracted from it, which is used in the production of aluminum-scandium alloys, which are in demand in the automotive industry, rocket science, production of electric drives, and sports equipment.

Alternative to aluminum ores

The development of modern production requires increasingly large volumes of aluminum. However, it is not always profitable to develop deposits or import alumina from abroad. Therefore, metal smelting using recycled materials is increasingly being used.

For example, countries such as the USA, Japan, Germany, France, and the UK mainly produce secondary aluminum, amounting to up to 80% of global smelting.

Secondary metal is much cheaper compared to primary metal, the production of which requires 20,000 kW of energy/1 ton.

Today, aluminum, obtained from various ores, is one of the most popular materials for producing durable and lightweight products that are resistant to corrosion. No alternatives to metal have been found yet, and in the next decade.

Sources:

The largest aluminum producing companies

Aluminum Corporation of China (Chalco). The world's largest Chinese manufacturer

• bauxite;
• alumina and
• primary aluminum.

The company is also engaged in the production and sale of aluminum alloy products, graphite products and other materials for aluminum electrolysis.

Hongqiao Group. Chinese investment and holding company China Hongqiao Group Limited. The main areas of activity are production and sales:

• molten aluminum alloys
• aluminum alloy ingots
• casting and rolled aluminum products
• aluminum electrical busbars,

as well as exploration and development of bauxite and trade in it, production and sale of electrical energy, provision of leasing financial services.

Rusal. The Russian company Rusal is engaged in the production and sale of primary aluminum and other products related to aluminum smelting, as well as bauxite mining and alumina production. The company has 10 primary aluminum smelting plants, of which nine are located in Russia and one in Sweden. The main activities of the company are:

• mining and processing of bauxite and nepheline ores into alumina
• smelting of primary aluminum from alumina
• processing of aluminum and aluminum alloys into semi-finished and finished products.

Xinfa Group. The company primarily produces and processes primary aluminum and other related products. Xingfa Aluminum is one of the oldest manufacturers of extruded aluminum products in China. This company is a large manufacturer specializing in the production of construction and industrial aluminum profiles.

Rio Tinto. Rio Tinto Aluminum is a division of the multinational mining company Rio Tinto, headquartered in Montreal (Canada). Rio Tinto mines ores and produces metals, including iron ore, aluminum, copper and diamonds, and produces electrical energy. The company has 24 production sites around the world. Aluminum products include ingots for sheet rolling, extrusion ingots, covers and more.

Alcoa. Alcoa is one of the world's leading producers of bauxite, alumina and aluminum products. The headquarters is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (USA). The company does business and has production facilities in ten countries around the world. Alcoa has the world's largest bauxite mining operations, one of the largest alumina production systems, and a global network of primary aluminum smelters.

Leading countries in the world in aluminum production and smelting

Hello, dear readers of the Tyulyagin project! Today we will talk about aluminum. In the article you will learn why aluminum is smelted and where it is used. But, mainly, the article will focus on comparing different countries in the production and smelting of aluminum.

In the article you will find out which country is the largest aluminum producer in the world , as well as the largest exporters and importers of aluminum in the world . In addition, we will talk about the smelting of primary aluminum in Russia.

Here you will find unique statistics on aluminum smelting in the USSR and Russia since 1932. Make yourself comfortable and enjoy reading.

articles:

What is aluminum produced for and where is it used?

Aluminum is a lightweight metal. Aluminum is the most abundant metal in the world. Due to its lightness, strength, functionality and resistance to corrosion, aluminum has become popular and is used in many structures.

If you look closely, you can find aluminum almost anywhere you go. It is used in homes, in transport, in various equipment, including mobile phones and computers, and in other household items - refrigerators, microwaves, furniture and so on.

However, the use of aluminum was minimal a hundred years ago. And 200 years ago they knew little at all about metal. Aluminum occupies about 8% of the entire earth's crust and is the third most abundant element after oxygen and silicon.

Despite its prevalence, aluminum is not found in nature in its pure form, which is why it was practically not used for a long time.

Aluminum was first produced only in 1824, and only 50 years later it began to be actively used in industry.

Aluminum is three times lighter than iron, but is almost as strong as steel, and in addition is ductile. It is not magnetic and conducts electricity. Capable of forming alloys with almost all other metals.

All these properties have allowed aluminum to become the most popular metal for humans. This metal is used in all modern and high-tech industries - construction, automotive, energy, aviation, food, and space. It is also used in modern electronic technology, shipbuilding and other industries.

countries of the world in aluminum production and smelting for 2022

Since 2002, the leader in aluminum smelting in the world has been China . Today China smelts more than half of the world's aluminum production.

At the end of 2022, China smelted 36,000 thousand tons , while 64,000 thousand tons of aluminum were produced worldwide.

Following China are India and Russia ; they smelt approximately equal amounts of aluminum per year - 3,700 and 3,600 thousand tons, respectively.

For a long time, the United States was the leader in aluminum production in the world, until 2000. Today they are only at the end of the top ten with primary aluminum production at about 1,100 thousand tons. A complete list of countries by primary aluminum smelting can be found in the table below. USGS (United States Geological Survey) data was used as the main source of statistics.

Rank Country Aluminum smelting, thousand tons Year

Leading countries in aluminum export and import

As I already wrote, aluminum today is used in many industries, in connection with this, not only its smelting is developed, but also trade. Countries around the world actively export and import aluminum for their own needs.

Thus, the largest exporter of aluminum in the world at the beginning of 2022 is Canada . In dollar terms, Canada exported more than $5.3 billion worth of aluminum. Also among the top five largest aluminum exporters in the world are the Netherlands, the UAE, Russia and India. You can see the full list of aluminum export countries

No.CountryExport of aluminum, million $

The largest importers of aluminum in the world are (the share of world imports is indicated in brackets):

1. USA (12.6%)
2. Germany (9.1%)
3. Japan (4.5%)
4. Netherlands (4.5%)
5. France (3.9%)
6. Mexico (3.9%)
7. Italy (3.6%)
8. South Korea (3.6%)
9. China (3.3%)
10. UK (2.9%)

Dynamics of aluminum production by year in the USSR and Russia since 1932

Above I attach a graph with unique statistics on aluminum smelting in the USSR and Russia since 1932. It was in 1932 that aluminum production began in the country. Until now, aluminum was only imported.

Imports of aluminum were also high during the Second World War; at that time, our own capacities were still not enough, and aluminum was actively imported from foreign countries, including the USA, Great Britain and Canada. However, aluminum production grew rapidly in the post-war years. By the end of the 1980s, primary aluminum smelting in the USSR reached 3.5 million tons.

Like other industries, after the collapse of the USSR, the production of non-ferrous metals in Russia decreased. This happened in the flesh until 1995. Then the smelting of primary aluminum began to grow and by 2004 Russia exceeded the record smelting of the USSR.

Despite this achievement, in recent years, aluminum smelting in Russia has begun to decline, reaching its peak in 2008 at 4.19 million tons; smelting at the end of 2022 amounted to only 3.6 million tons.

When drawing up the schedule, data archives from the USGS and the USSR State Statistics Committee were used.

And that’s all for today about aluminum and the lists of countries by smelting and exporting aluminum in the world. Add the article to bookmarks and share with friends. Subscribe to new articles and analytics by e-mail. See you again on the pages of the Tyulyagin !

The role of the aluminum industry in the economy

What is the impact of the aluminum industry on the economy? For example, the US aluminum industry annually contributes about $170 billion to the country's economy. This represents about 1% of the annual gross domestic product of the United States. About 160 thousand workers are directly employed in this industry. In addition, each job in the aluminum industry creates at least 3 more jobs in related industries. In total, this represents approximately 700,000 jobs in the production, processing and application of aluminum. These workers bring home more than $40 billion each year, which supports the development of many other sectors of the economy.

Properties of aluminum ore

Bauxite is a complex compound of oxides of aluminum, iron and silicon (in the form of various quartz), titanium, as well as with a small admixture of sodium, zirconium, chromium, phosphorus and others.

Copper ore: properties, application, mining

The most important property in aluminum production is the “breakability” of bauxite. That is, how easy it will be to separate unnecessary silicon additives from it in order to obtain the feedstock for metal smelting.

The basis for producing aluminum is alumina. To form it, the ore is ground into a fine powder and heated with steam, separating most of the silicon. And this mass will become the raw material for smelting.

To obtain 1 ton of aluminum, you will need about 4-5 tons of bauxite, from which, after processing, about 2 tons of alumina are formed, and only then you can get the metal.

Three segments of the aluminum industry

The aluminum industry can be divided into three main segments - three streams:

• Upstream: Bauxite mining, alumina production and primary aluminum smelting.
• Midstream: Transformation of primary aluminum into technological semi-finished products for further production of finished aluminum products. For example, rolled aluminum sheets that are sold to automakers.
• Downstream: Production of finished aluminum products, such as aluminum alloys for making car wheels, which are approximately half the weight of steel.

Technology for the development of aluminum deposits. Aluminum ore mining methods

Methods of mining aluminum ore If the depth of occurrence of aluminum-bearing rocks is insignificant, they are mined using open-pit mining. But the process of cutting off ore layers will depend on its type and structure.

• Crystalline minerals (usually bauxite or nepheline) are removed by milling. Mineral miners are used for this purpose. Depending on the model, such a machine can cut a layer up to 600 mm thick. The rock thickness is developed gradually, forming shelves after passing through one layer.

This is done to ensure the safe position of the operator’s cabin and running gear, which in the event of an unexpected collapse will be at a safe distance.

• Loose aluminum-bearing rocks preclude the use of milling. Since their viscosity clogs the cutting part of the machine. Most often, these types of rocks can be cut using mining excavators, which immediately load the ore onto dump trucks for further transportation.

Transportation of raw materials is a separate part of the entire process. Usually, whenever possible, enrichment plants try to be built near mining sites. This allows the use of belt conveyors to supply ore for processing. But, more often, confiscated raw materials are transported by dump trucks. The next stage is the enrichment and preparation of rock to obtain alumina.

1. The ore is moved using a belt conveyor to the raw material preparation workshop, where a number of crushing devices can be used, crushing the minerals one by one to a fraction of approximately 110 mm.
2. The second section of the preparatory workshop supplies prepared ore and additional additives for further processing.

1. The next stage of preparation is sintering the rock in furnaces.

Also at this stage, it is possible to process raw materials by leaching with strong alkalis. The result is a liquid aluminate solution (hydrometallurgical processing).

1. The aluminate solution goes through a decomposition stage. At this stage, an aluminate pulp is obtained, which in turn is sent for separation and evaporation of the liquid component.
2. After which this mass is cleaned of unnecessary alkalis and sent for calcination in ovens. As a result of this chain, dry alumina is formed, which is necessary for the production of aluminum by hydrolysis treatment.

The complex technological process requires large amounts of fuel and limestone, as well as electricity. This is the main factor in the location of aluminum smelters - near a good transport interchange, and the presence of nearby deposits of the necessary resources.

However, there is also a mining method of extraction, when rock is cut out from the layers according to the principle of coal mining. After which the ore is sent to similar plants for enrichment and aluminum extraction.

One of the deepest “aluminum” adits is located in the Urals in Russia, its depth reaches 1550 meters!

Transport is the driving force of the aluminum industry

There are a large number of end market niches and industries that consume aluminum, including aerospace, automotive, food packaging, and construction.

However, the industry that is really moving the aluminum industry forward today is transport engineering. This industry has become acutely focused on reducing fuel costs and one way to do this is by reducing the weight of vehicles. Since similar aluminum structures are 10-40% lighter than steel ones while maintaining strength, this metal is capable, for example, of reducing fuel consumption by 7-20% while reducing weight by 15%.

Aluminum ore - from mining to metal production. Leading countries in aluminum production

Aluminum ore is a mineral.
Compared to traditional metals (steel, copper, bronze), aluminum is a young metal.

The modern method of obtaining it was developed only in 1886, and before that it was very rare. The industrial scale of the “winged” metal began only in the 20th century. Today, it is one of the sought-after materials in various industries from electronics to the space and aviation industries.

Aluminum ore was first obtained in the form of a silvery metal in 1825 in a volume of just a few milligrams, and before the advent of mass production, this metal was more expensive than gold. For example, one of the royal crowns of Sweden contained aluminum, and D. I. Mendeleev in 1889 received an expensive gift from the British - scales made of gold and aluminum.

What raw materials are needed to produce aluminum ore? How is one of the most essential materials of our time produced?

Automotive industry

Governments around the world are setting increasingly stringent carbon emissions standards for cars. From 2010 to 2020, average carbon dioxide emissions were expected to fall from 142 g/km to 95 g/km, a reduction of 3.9% annually.

Aluminum can reduce the weight of the corresponding part by more than 50% compared to competing materials. For niche models with an all-aluminum body, weight savings reach 30-40%, from 70 to 140 kg, depending on the size of the car.

Major US automakers such as Ford and troublemakers such as Tesla are focusing on using aluminum to reduce the weight of their vehicles to improve performance and safety. The well-known American industry standards CAFE require an increase in mileage per 1 liter of fuel from 2011 to 2025 of at least two times. Therefore, automakers have virtually no choice but to reduce the weight of their cars. Aluminum will play a major role in solving this problem.

Aluminum: properties, production and application

Physical properties:

• High thermal and electrical conductivity.
• Resistant to low temperatures.
• Density – 2712 kg/m3.
• Melting point: 6580C – technical metal; 6600C – pure metal.
• Plastic. It can be used to produce thin sheets and foil.
• Good weldability.
• Has good reflective ability.

Chemical properties:

• Aluminum is highly active.
• In air it forms an oxide film, which further provides protection against corrosion and does not allow it to react with a number of oxidizing agents.
• Under normal conditions, it reacts with bromine and chlorine.
• When the temperature rises, it forms compounds with nitrogen, iodine, oxygen, sulfur, phosphorus, and carbon.
• Interacts well with alkalis.
• Forms many alloys with metals.

Natural aluminum compounds

Aluminum is almost never found in its pure form (the only exception may be special reducing conditions that form, for example, when magma comes out of volcanic vents). Much more often its compounds are present in the earth's crust:

• Corundum (mineral varieties: ruby, sapphire, padparadscha, star ruby, leucosapphire, common corundum and emery)
• Boehmit.
• Diaspora.
• Chrysoberyl (Alexandrite).
• Gibbsite.
• Kyanite.
• Kaolinite.
• Muscovite.
• Alunites.
• Anorthitis.
• Andalusite.
• Nephelines.
• Spodumene.
• Sillimanite.
• Cryolite.
• Albite.
• Otroclase.
• Beryl.
• Spinel.
• Feldspars.
• Mica.
• Bauxite.
• Alumina.

In reservoirs, the aluminum content varies within:

• From 0.001 to 10 mg/l – freshwater basins of rivers and lakes.
• 0.01 mg/l – sea water.

Aluminum production

Aluminum is one of the most sought-after metals in modern industry. However, for its production it is necessary to go through several stages, spend a significant amount of energy, transport and raw materials, and use a lot of personnel.

Bauxite mining

The main type of ore for producing aluminum is bauxite, and they are of high quality when the content of the desired mineral is 50% or more. In nature, bauxite is presented in a clay-like form, a mass of red-brown brick color. Industrial use is determined by the morphology, composition of rocks, and conditions of occurrence of ore bodies of deposits.

This mineral is extracted using both open (the most common) and closed methods (used at significant depths, about 500 m and below). Carrying out drilling and blasting operations, using selective methods and using milling technologies.

Alumina production

The next stage of aluminum production is the Bayer method, which produces 90% of the world's alumina - aluminum oxide Al2O3, which is a white powder. The method is quite simple and economical, but is applicable only for bauxites of high quality and low impurity content (silica is best suited for these purposes).

Splitting up

First of all, the mined bauxite is subjected to crushing, that is, crushing, splitting and impact in order to obtain a material of the required size and then grind it using abrasion. This makes it possible to bring the material to the opening of the grains of the desired component, so that in the future the raw material can completely release the aluminum contained in it.

Leaching

After which the crushed aluminum oxide is dissolved in concentrated alkali. To achieve maximum effect, lime is added to the solution. As a result of this technological process, a pulp is obtained containing sodium aluminate and foreign impurities that were originally part of bauxite - red mud. The ballast is removed, and the useful composition is decomposed.

Decomposition

The process of “twisting”—the separation of crystalline sodium aluminate into a precipitate—is called decomposition. A rather complex and lengthy procedure, including dilution with water followed by cooling of the solution in tubular heat exchangers, is divided into two stages:

• Hydrolysis of the solution to produce aluminum hydroxide.
• Crystallization accelerated by seeding and stirring.

Electrolysis

The next stage of production is electrolysis, performed at a temperature of 9500C in baths with molten cryolite. An electric current of more than 400 kA passed through the solution frees aluminum from oxygen. Liquid metal is collected at the bottom of the bath for further use either as ingots sent to consumers, or for the production of alloys.

Foundry

The use of aluminum in its pure form is difficult due to insufficient strength, so impurities are used to increase it. Chemical compounds of this metal obtained in metallurgical processes are divided into two types of alloys:

• Foundry.
• Structural - obtained as a result of deformation, which may or may not be subsequently subjected to thermal effects.

Casting alloys

The main additives (alloying elements) in the production of cast aluminum alloys are:

• Magnesium, manganese, copper, silicon, zinc.
• Beryllium, lithium, zirconium, and titanium are used to a lesser extent.

High performance of the resulting casting is determined by:

• The ability to fill complex shapes with the melt, which is a manifestation of good casting properties.
• Insignificant mass of manufactured products, due to the low specific gravity of aluminum itself.
• Resistant to corrosion.
• Increased mechanical strength and hardness compared to the original material.
• Compliance to processed influences.

According to the resulting qualities, aluminum alloys can be classified into three types:

• Structural sealed. They have good anti-corrosion and casting properties.
• Corrosion resistant. Resistant to aggressive chemical environments and water. They are quite easy to process during the cutting process and are easy to weld.
• Heat resistant. Retain their properties at elevated temperatures and mechanical stress.

Rental

Using hot or cold rolling in rolling mills, aluminum is given a shape suitable for further use. This can be foil, sheets of various thicknesses, tires. In the future, rods, pipes, and various profiles can be made from these products, which are widely used in various sectors of the economy.

Extrusion

Extrusion is the pressing of metal softened as a result of the melt through a forming profile. This process is most clearly demonstrated by an ordinary household meat grinder. The process makes it possible to compact and increase the strength of the material of the extruded profile product compared to the original raw material.

Aluminum recycling

Modern economic conditions and environmental standards have created a number of requirements, the fulfillment of which is best ensured by the technology of recycling aluminum waste. The fact is that the metal is preserved for quite a long time without being subject to corrosion, and, if necessary, in a compressed state. Also, the processing process does not require much energy consumption.

The market for secondary aluminum raw materials is represented by waste products:

• Electrical profile. As a rule, this material contains a minimal amount of impurities.
• Food sector – dishes and containers.
• Profile format, this material is often used when cutting furniture and construction parts.
• Motor - usually silumin.
• Means of aviation and water transport - airplanes, helicopters, boats.

The collected aluminum scrap is sorted, pressed, dried, and melted. After which it is sent to consumers.

As a reducing agent

Due to its chemical properties, aluminum is a strong reducing agent, as it reacts well with oxygen. This property is used for the reduction of halides and rare metals.

In ferrous metallurgy

Steel production uses aluminum and its alloys as deoxidizers, allowing not only to get rid of oxygen, but also to eliminate the possible porosity of finished products under the influence of carbon monoxide bubbles. Also in this industry it is used as alloying additives and modifiers in the form of granules, powder and powder.

Aluminum alloys

There are whole series of aluminum-based alloys that are in great demand as structural materials. These are mainly compounds with magnesium, manganese, copper, alloyed in turn with magnesium, manganese, iron and silicon. Aluminum alloys have ductility, strength, manufacturability, resistance to vibration and corrosion resistance.

Aluminum as an additive to other alloys

Aluminum is also used in alloys of other metals:

• magnesium,
• aluminum bronze,
• fechral,
• become.

Jewelry

Recently, silver-white metal has again, like a century and a half ago, begun to attract the attention of jewelers who want to add some variety to the standard set of materials used. And not only as cheap jewelry, but also as the basis for precious products, as well as independent exquisite products.

Cutlery

Aluminum cutlery is currently not as popular as before, due to reasons of harm to human health and loss of appearance during use. Although a certain number of them are present in public catering. Also, some utensils, such as spoons, forks, pots, flasks, are used as army utensils and tourist equipment.

Glass making

In the glass and glass products industry, aluminum and its compounds are widely used:

• Alumina (aluminum oxide) increases strength, hardness and resistance to temperature and chemical influences.
• Aluminum salts are necessary for the production of special types of glass.

Food industry

In addition to the food additive in E173 food products, aluminum is included in antacids intended to coat the gastrointestinal tract for pain relief in a number of diseases.

Military industry

Due to its properties: lightness and flexibility, aluminum is widely used in the designs of various types of weapons: from pistols and machine guns to tanks, missiles and aircraft. Even such exotic products for our time as crossbows, swords, rapiers, and sabers cannot do without this mineral.

In rocket technology

In addition to using aluminum as a material for making rockets, satellites and other spacecraft; powder from this metal, as well as an oxidizer based on it, are important components of solid fuel - fuel for launching shuttles and rockets.

Aluminum energy

The intermediate role of aluminum in enhancing the production of primary energy carriers or directly thermal and electrical energy manifests itself in a relatively new industry - aluminum energy. It is here, in the process of oxidation of this unique mineral, that:

• Hydrogen from water.
• Electricity - due to exposure to oxygen in the air in electrochemical generators.

Deposits in Russia and the world

50 aluminum ore deposits are located in Russia. The largest of them are located in the Arkhangelsk, Belgorod, Leningrad and Sverdlovsk regions, as well as in the Komi Republic.

The world's bauxite deposits are located in 7 regions of the world:

• Africa - Guinea and a number of countries in the center and west of the continent.
• South America - Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana and Suriname.
• Caribbean Islands - Jamaica.
• Europe – Greece and a number of regions of Russia.
• Asia – India, China, Türkiye.
• Australia.

World reserves

Proven reserves of aluminum ores are estimated at 30 billion tons; resource estimates from the US Geological Survey bring this figure to 75 billion tons.

Aluminum producing countries

In 2022, global aluminum smelting reached 60 million tons, distributed by country as follows:

• China – 33 million tons.
• Russia – 3.71 million tons.
• India – 3.68 million tons.
• Canada - 2.9 million tons.
• UAE – 2.6 million tons.
• Australia – 1.6 million tons.
• Norway – 1.35 million tons.
• Bahrain – 0.995 million tons.
• Saudi Arabia - 0.916 million tons.
• USA – 0.89 million tons.

Aluminum occupies a leading position among the non-ferrous metals produced on the planet, second only to steel in the general metallurgical list.

Electric cars

Electric cars are currently quite expensive, mainly due to the high cost of batteries. This is why it is important to make electric cars as energy efficient as possible. Reducing weight is one of the most obvious ways to improve the energy efficiency of any car, including electric cars.

The material used to reduce weight is often a little more expensive, heavier classic materials. It has been found that an electric VW Golf car can be made 184 kg lighter if aluminum is used instead of steel. The total cost of an aluminum electric car would be €635 less than a steel electric car.

In addition, life cycle analysis of all-steel and all-aluminum electric vehicles shows that aluminum electric vehicles emit 1.5 tons less greenhouse gases over their life cycle than steel electric vehicles. This life cycle includes production, 150,000 km mileage and disposal.

Notes

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Aerospace industry

Aluminum is also a very important metal for the aerospace industry. Its ability to make aluminum structures lightweight helps reduce aircraft weight, allowing airlines to save money on jet fuel. Since jet fuel is a major cost factor for airlines, this pushes them to continue to look for ways to reduce the weight of passenger aircraft. This means that it is necessary to continue replacing heavy components with lighter aluminum alloys.

Applications of Aluminum Ore

Basically, up to 60% of ore raw materials are used to produce aluminum. However, the rich composition makes it possible to extract from it other chemical elements: titanium, chromium, vanadium and other non-ferrous metals, which are necessary primarily as alloying additives to improve the quality of steel.

As mentioned above, the technological chain for producing aluminum necessarily passes through the stage of formation of alumina, which is also used as fluxes in ferrous metallurgy.

How are the costs of supporting industry distributed?

The rich composition of elements in aluminum ore is also used to produce mineral paint. Also, the smelting method produces alumina cement - a quickly hardening, strong mass.

Another material obtained from bauxite is electrocorundum. It is obtained by smelting ore in electric furnaces. It is a very hard substance, second only to diamond, making it popular as an abrasive.

Also, in the process of obtaining pure metal, waste is formed - red mud. The element scandium is extracted from it, which is used in the production of aluminum-scandium alloys, which are in demand in the automotive industry, rocket science, production of electric drives, and sports equipment.

How to invest in aluminum

Aluminum futures

A futures contract (futures) is a guaranteed trade in the future for a certain number of units of a commodity at some fixed price. This price is called the “strike price” or “delivery price”. Goods are delivered and payment is made on a specific delivery date. For example, on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), one futures contract controls about 20 tons of aluminum. Aluminum futures are characterized by high price volatility, which makes trading aluminum futures highly risky.

ETF

The abbreviation ETF stands for Exchange Traded Fund. Such a fund consists of hundreds or even thousands of shares of different companies, collected for some reason. Investing in an ETF is buying a share of a fund that owns assets, such as stocks or commodities. Anyone can buy shares of such a fund.

Trading ETFs has significantly less risk than trading aluminum futures. Some funds offer a combination of several aluminum futures in one exchange-traded note. Others offer a range of aluminum, copper and zinc in one investment basket. There are also ETFs that invest in primary aluminum production around the world.

The most popular ETFs in the aluminum market are [5]:

• iShares Dow Jones US Basic Materials Sector Index Fund (IYM)
• iPath Dow Jones-UBS Aluminum Subindex Total Return ETN (JJU)

Shares of aluminum producers

Investing in aluminum stocks may be more attractive to people who are less risk-averse. After analyzing all the strengths and weaknesses of each investment option, select a company that matches your specific investment plans. The most profitable shares of aluminum industry companies currently include shares of the following companies [6]:

• Century Aluminum Company. A holding company that is a producer of primary aluminum.
• Alcoa Corporation. Produces and sells bauxite, alumina and aluminum products.
• Constellium NV Designs and manufactures aluminum products for various aluminum market segments, including aerospace, automotive and packaging.
• Aluminum Corporation of China Limited. Aluminum producer, including bauxite mining, alumina production and primary aluminum smelting.
• Kaiser Aluminum Corporation. Refers to the processing sector of the aluminum industry. It produces rolled, extruded and cold-drawn semi-finished products for the aerospace, defense, automotive, engineering, electronics and electrical industries.

Dividends

Dividends are payments made by companies to the holders of their shares. Paying dividends is not mandatory, but many companies do so. . Dividends can be paid quarterly, annually or biennially - this depends on the policy of each individual company.

Large corporations with a long history of financial stability and low share price fluctuations are more likely to pay dividends because they have sufficient capital to absorb adverse market fluctuations.

There are joint stock companies, including those in the aluminum industry, that do not pay dividends or pay them very rarely. Often, companies with rising share prices do not pay any dividends and prefer to reinvest profits back into production, hoping that the income from rising share prices will be higher than from paying dividends. This also applies to young companies that do not yet have a recognized, “branded” product and are focused on developing innovative products that may (or may not) be profitable in the future.

Bauxite ore is the basis of global aluminum production

The silver metal itself is directly obtained from alumina. This raw material is aluminum oxide (Al2O3), obtained from ores:

The most common source of starting material is bauxite, which is considered the main aluminum ore.

Despite the more than 130-year history of discovery, it has still not been possible to understand the origin of aluminum ore. It is possible that simply in each region the raw materials were formed under the influence of certain conditions. And this makes it difficult to derive one universal theory about the formation of bauxite. There are three main hypotheses about the origin of aluminum raw materials:

1. They were formed due to the dissolution of certain types of limestone as a residual product.
2. Bauxite was obtained as a result of weathering of ancient rocks with their further transport and deposition.
3. The ore is the result of chemical processes of decomposition of iron, aluminum and titanium salts, and fell as sediment.

However, alunite and nepheline ores were formed under different conditions from bauxite. The former were formed under conditions of active hydrothermal and volcanic activity. The second - at high magma temperatures.

Bauxite

As a result, alunites generally have a crumbly porous structure. They contain up to 40% of various aluminum oxide compounds. But, in addition to the aluminum-bearing ore itself, the deposits, as a rule, contain additives, which affects the profitability of their mining. It is considered profitable to develop a deposit with a 50 percent ratio of alunites to additives.

Track and monitor

• Every aluminum investor should constantly monitor new directions and changes in the aluminum industry, as well as the dynamics of the economy as a whole, in order to understand in time when aluminum prices are ready to rise.
• Aluminum stock trading is highly cyclical and commercially more complex than other metals. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly monitor the state of aluminum stock trading and be sure to have a ready-made plan for a quick exit from it in the event of an unfavorable market situation.

Sources: 1. Aluminum Nation – https://www.aluminum.org/ 2. Driving Modern Manufacturing – The Aluminum Association – 2022 3. Aluminum in Cars – Unlocking the Light-Weighting Potential – European Aluminum Association – 20204. How to Invest in Aluminum / Karen Rogers – https://finance.zacks.com/invest-aluminum-5655.html 5. Aluminum: Investing Essentials – An investing primer on the aluminum industry /Matthew DiLallo – https://www.fool.com /investing/general/2014/08/07/aluminum-investing-essentials.aspx 6. List of Aluminum ETFs – https://fknol.com/etf/list/aluminum.php 7. Top Aluminum Stocks With Highest Returns – https http://fknol.com/list/best-performing/aluminum-stocks.php

Development of aluminum ore deposits in Russia

In our country there are several rich deposits of aluminum ores, concentrated in the Urals and in the Leningrad region. But the main method of extracting bauxite in our country is the more labor-intensive closed mine method, which extracts about 80% of the total mass of ores in Russia.

Foreign investment in Russian industry

The leaders in deposit development are the joint-stock company Sevuralboxitrude, JSC Baksitogorsk Alumina, and the South Ural Bauxite Mines. However, their reserves are running out. As a result, Russia has to import about 3 million tons of alumina per year.

In total, 44 deposits of various aluminum ores (bauxite, nepheline) have been explored in the country, which, according to estimates, should be enough for 240 years, with such mining intensity as today.

The import of alumina is due to the low quality of the ore in the deposits, for example, bauxite with a 50% alumina composition is mined at the Red Cap deposit, while in Italy rock with 64% aluminum oxide is extracted, and in China 61%.

Aluminum and its role in industry

Aluminum is one of the elements in the periodic table; it belongs to light metals. It is the most common metal, and as a chemical element it ranks third in terms of content in the earth’s crust.

Aluminum can be obtained from aluminum ores, primarily from bauxite, containing from 28 to 80% aluminum oxides. Nepheline syenites, alunite, nepheline-apatite rocks are also raw materials for the production of aluminum, but they have a lower percentage of aluminum oxides than bauxites and are raw materials of poorer quality.

If we consider the production volumes of non-ferrous metals in the modern economy, aluminum ranks first. This is primarily due to the fact that it is widely used in people’s lives, affecting a fairly wide range of industries, such as transport engineering, construction, packaging production, and the production of consumer goods. Aluminum is also used to make cables or other products used in electrical engineering.

The physicochemical properties of aluminum allow it to be used for the manufacture of special tanks in which liquid gases such as methane, oxygen, hydrogen, as well as nitric acid and clean water can be stored and transported. Aluminum is widely used as a structural material for nuclear reactors. In steel production, aluminum is also of great importance, acting as a deoxidizing agent.

In our everyday life, we quite often come across objects for the manufacture of which aluminum was used, for example, parts of electrical appliances for refrigerators and washing machines are made from it. Quite often in everyday life you can find aluminum dishes, furniture, and various sports equipment. Aluminum is also used to produce various types of packaging, cans or disposable containers made from foil.

Such widespread use of aluminum in life is influenced by its advantages in properties over other structural metals:

— first of all, we can highlight the fact that aluminum has a fairly small specific gravity;

— secondly, its advantages over other metals include high corrosion resistance;

— aluminum is easy to process, is 100% recyclable, and saves energy by 95%;

— in addition, the metal has high electrical conductivity and fire resistance;

— aluminum is resistant to low temperatures, at which its strength, ductility and toughness are much higher.

The main reserves of explored bauxite and the largest aluminum producers.

Aluminum is a lightweight metal that can handle almost all metals.
It is also an important metal for aviation, machine, ship, and carriage building. The Second World War was the starting point for the development of this industry. The main raw material for aluminum production is bauxite, which is concentrated in 18 countries. These are mainly countries with a hot and humid climate. But in addition to bauxite, there are also substitutes that are currently less profitable. These are, for example, alunite, anorthosite, coal waste and oil shale and other raw materials.