bauxite

Principal ore of aluminium, consisting of a mixture of hydrated aluminium oxides and hydroxides, generally contaminated with compounds of iron, which give it a red colour. It is formed by the chemical weathering of rocks in tropical climates. Chief producers of bauxite are Australia, Guinea, Jamaica, Russia, Kazakhstan, Suriname, and Brazil.

To extract aluminium from bauxite, high temperatures (about 800°C/1,470°F) are needed to make the ore molten. Electric currents are then passed through the molten ore. The process is economical only if cheap electricity is readily available, usually from a hydroelectric plant.