Alumina

Alumina

Alumina, or aluminum oxide, is produced from crushed bauxite using caustic soda. The largest used for alumina is to produce aluminum metal in a smelter. Since 1888, aluminum has become the second most-used metal in the world, after iron. Aluminum is a unique metal. It is strong, durable, flexible, impermeable, light-weight, and it does not corrode. Aluminum comes in a variety of surface finishes and can take many forms, allowing its use in a vast array of products. Downstream uses of aluminum include transportation (vehicles, aircrafts, trains, and ships), food and medicine packaging (aluminum foil and cans), lithography (graphic arts), and construction (window profiles and other extruded products).