What is an aluminium smelter?
In modern primary aluminium smelting plants, aluminium oxide—known as alumina—is dissolved in an electrolytic bath of molten sodium aluminium fluoride within a carbon- or graphite-lined steel container known as a “pot.” An electric current is passed through the pot. Molten aluminium is then deposited at the bottom of the pot and is siphoned off to be cast into ingots, which in turn become feedstock for downstream manufacturing of numerous aluminium-based products.
