(emphasis on energy and materials requirements) see more on : thanosparaschos.com

1. Material & energy requirements
Technical University of Crete Mining
Department of Mineral Resources Engineering
Metalurgical Processes – Prof. Komnitsas
Athanasios Paraschos 2007020037

2. 
Aluminum is a light metal with density of
2.7g/cm3 (three times less than of steel) .

It is one of those elements which are excessive
on earth. It is an excellent heat and electrical
conductor with very good reflectivity, resistance
to corrosion and ductility.

Aluminum is used extensively in electronics
infrastructure, packaging and transportation

3. Worldwide Aluminum production in 2010
Source http://www.alueurope.eu/?page_id=1509

4. 
In 2010, global Al production is 41,4million tons

Global average energy consumption is 15kWh/kg Aluminum

Thus,

Electricity consumption is 621 billion kilowatt hours of electricity

Global electricity production is 20261 billion kilowatt hours

Therefore,
 Three percent of the total electrical supply goes to aluminum extraction

5. 
Mostly aluminium is produced in two ways;

Primarily Production Process



Bayer process: Bauxite refining
Hall-Héroult process : Reduction of Alumina to Aluminum
Secondary Production Process

Recycling of scraps containing Al

Recyling aluminium hydroxide

6. 
Bayer Process: Refining Bauxite

7. 

8. 
Scrap recycling
 The scrap is cleaned and sorted
 If the scrap contains more than 20% Al by wt.

Aluminum hydroxide
 It is a waste from Al production and can be
assumed as free of impurities
 It is then Calcined directly

9. 
To produce 1kg of aluminum,





5,900kg earth has to mined
5.1kg Bauxite,
1.93kg alumina and
0.45kg carbon anode
This means that for 2010 annual world
production of 41.1 million tons aluminum,
 210 million tons of bauxite,
 80 million tons of alumina and
 21 million tons of carbon anode

10. 
On the basis of 1kg aluminum
Bayer process
Source: Wang et al.2012

11. 
Al from recycled Al(OH)3,
Requires only 43% total energy
of primary Al prod.
Scrap recycling
If Scrap contains >20% Al (wt.)
Source: Wang et al.2012

12. 
Wang H., Leung D.Y.C, Leung M.K.H, 2012, Energy analysis of hydrogen and
electricity production from aluminum-based processes, Applied energy 90, 100105

U.S. Department of energy, U.S. Energy requirement for aluminum production:
historical perspective, theoretical limits and current practices, February 2007

Totten G.E, Mackenzi D.S., 2003, Handbook of Aluminum, Vol 1,Physical
Metallurgy and processes, Marcel Dekker, Inc, USA