A Brief Explanation of Alumina Production and Uses

David D’Addario serves as the chairman and CEO of New Day Aluminum, the parent company for the subsidiary businesses Noranda Alumina and Noranda Bauxit. Under David D’Addario’s direction, Noranda Alumina produces smelter-grade (SGA) and chemical-grade (CGA) alumina. 

The common name for the chemical compound aluminum oxide (Al2O3), alumina is extracted from an ore called bauxite, found in the topsoil of tropical and subtropical regions. Metallurgists extract alumina using the Bayer process, during which the ore is crushed, mixed into a sodium hydroxide solution, and seeded with crystals that precipitate aluminum hydroxide. Heating the aluminum hydroxide evaporates the water and creates different grades of alumina in a powdery form. Originally invented in 1887, the Bayer process remains the primary method for producing alumina.

Alumina’s industrial uses extend beyond the production of aluminum. The compound can be used as a filler for plastics, and is a less-expensive substitute for making industrial diamonds. The automobile industry frequently uses alumina as a paint ingredient for cars to achieve the reflective effect. Refineries make the largest-scale use of it to convert hydrogen sulfide waste gases into elemental sulfur.