Abstract
Over the long tenure of the Hall-Héroult electrolytic reduction process, aluminum producers have attempted to identify other, more efficient methods of reducing aluminum. On a laboratory level, carbothermic reduction, which is presently used in silicon manufacture, has shown itself to be technically feasible for this application. While larger-scale trials have demonstrated carbothermic reduction to be adaptable for commercial aluminum production, substantial development work is still necessary for the process to become a fully viable alternative to Hall-Héroult.
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Additional information
Antonio Saavedra received his M.S. in metallurgical engineering from the University of Alabama in 1972. He is currently project manager in the Manufacturing Technology Laboratory at Reynolds Metals Company, Sheffield, Alabama. Mr. Saavedra is also a member of TMS.
Robert M. Kibby received his B.S. in chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley in 1941. He is currently a consultant. Mr. Kibby is also a member of TMS.
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Saavedra, A.F., Kibby, R.M. Investigating the Viability off Carbothermic Alumina Reduction. JOM 40, 32–36 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03258807
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03258807