Historical Background/Use
In 1821, a man named P. Berthier discovered the metal ore bauxite. He named this ore, which is 45-60% aluminum oxide, bauxite after the town Les Baux in southern France. Bauxite is a reddish, hard, clay-like material that contains other oxides and minerals, but mainly aluminum oxide.
In 1886, two young scientists, one French and one American, discovered the primary way that we make aluminum today. These men worked sepereately and were unaware of each other, but they discovered this process at the same time. The French man was named Paul Louis Toussaint Heroult and the American was named Charles Martin Hill. Their elecrolytic process is now called the Hall-Heroult process. In it, aluminum oxide is dissolved in a bath of molten cryolite and a powerful electric current is passed through it. As a result of this, molten aluminum is deposited at the bottom.
In 1886, two young scientists, one French and one American, discovered the primary way that we make aluminum today. These men worked sepereately and were unaware of each other, but they discovered this process at the same time. The French man was named Paul Louis Toussaint Heroult and the American was named Charles Martin Hill. Their elecrolytic process is now called the Hall-Heroult process. In it, aluminum oxide is dissolved in a bath of molten cryolite and a powerful electric current is passed through it. As a result of this, molten aluminum is deposited at the bottom.