In the production of aluminum, bauxite is heated with sodium hydroxide solution to ________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The heating with sodium hydroxide solution is known as the Bayer process, which is used to extract alumina from bauxite. During this process, sodium hydroxide solution is added to bauxite, which reacts with the silica present in it to form sodium aluminum silicate and water. This compound is soluble in the solution and can be separated from the mixture. Thus, heating with sodium hydroxide removes silica from bauxite.

In the Production of Aluminum, Bauxite Is Heated with Sodium