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Aluminium Ores
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Extractive Industry Products
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Ores
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Metallic Ores
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Description

Aluminium ores are naturally occurring rocks or minerals containing aluminium in concentrations sufficient for economically viable extraction. Although aluminium is the third most abundant element in the Earth's crust (comprising ~8% by weight), its strong tendency to bond with other elements means that relatively few minerals serve as practical commercial sources.

Ore Chemical
Formula		 Description
Bauxite Al₂O₃·2H₂O Not a single mineral but a heterogeneous rock composed of gibbsite, boehmite, and diaspore; the only ore used for commercial aluminium production today; typically contains 40–60% Al₂O₃ equivalent
Corundum Al₂O₃ The natural crystalline form of aluminium oxide; extremely hard (Mohs 9); used primarily as an abrasive and in technical ceramics; gemstone varieties include ruby and sapphire
Feldspar KAlSi₃O₈ The most abundant mineral group in the Earth's crust; aluminium-bearing but not commercially exploited as an aluminium ore; used mainly in ceramics, glass, and as a filler material
Cryolite Na₃AlF₆ A sodium aluminium fluoride mineral; historically mined in Greenland as a flux solvent for the Hall–Héroult aluminium smelting process; natural deposits are essentially exhausted and it is now produced synthetically
Alunite KAl₃(SO₄)₂(OH)₆ A potassium aluminium sulphate hydroxide mineral; used as an aluminium source in countries with limited bauxite reserves (notably Russia and China); also a source of potassium and sulphuric acid as by-products
Kaolin Al₂O₃(SiO₂)₂(H₂O)₂ A soft white clay mineral (kaolinite); abundant globally but not commercially competitive with bauxite for aluminium extraction; widely used in paper coating, ceramics, and as a filler

 

References

  1. Britannica. aluminium processing > ores (page  version: Sep 19, 2018)
  2. Arkansas Geological Survey. Bauxite (Accessed Feb 24, 2026)
  3. Wikipedia. Bauxite (page version: Dec 31, 2025)
  4. European Commission, Joint Research Centre (2020). Aluminium and Bauxite: Critical Raw Materials Factsheet
  5. The Aluminium Association. Bauxite 101 (Accessed Feb 24, 2026)
  6. EBSCO Information Services. Aluminum deposits (Accessed Feb 24, 2026)
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Samples of aluminium ores
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Status
A
Unit of Measure
Metric Ton
Physical State

Solid

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Transaction Name Date
Modified by UserPic  Kokel, Nicolas 2/24/2026 10:26 AM
Added 2/24/2026 9:25 AM