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What metal is extracted from the ore bauxite?

1) copper
2) gold
3) iron
4) aluminum

User Radesh
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

Aluminum is extracted from the ore bauxite through the Bayer Process, followed by electrolysis in molten cryolite.

Step-by-step explanation:

The metal extracted from the ore bauxite is aluminum. The extraction process is not as straightforward as other metals because aluminum has a very high position in the electrochemical series which makes it too reactive for reduction with carbon. Instead, bauxite is first processed into aluminum oxide via the Bayer Process. Then, the pure aluminum oxide is electrolyzed in a solution of molten cryolite. This is necessary because the aluminum oxide alone has too high of a melting point. The impurities found in bauxite, such as iron oxides, silicon dioxide, and titanium dioxide, do not interfere with the extraction of aluminum.

User Muntasir Aonik
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