Question

In order to obtain one tone of aluminium, the following inputs are required:
4 tones of bauxite, 150 Kg of sodium hydroxide and 600 Kg of graphite.
The aluminium compound in bauxite is aluminium oxide and the main impurity is iron (II) oxide. Aluminium is obtained by the electrolysis of aluminium oxide dissolved in cryolite.
(a) When bauxite is treated with sodium hydroxide solution, what happens to:
(i) the aluminium oxide?
(ii) The iron (III) oxide?

Answer 1

(i) Aluminium oxide being an amphoteric oxide reacts with sodium hydroxide solution to form soluble sodium meta aluminate.
\[\ce{\underset{\text{Alumina}}{Al2O3.2H2O} + 2NaOH + 2H2O ->\underset{\text{Sodium aluminate}}{2NaAIO2} + 3H2O}\]

(ii) Iron (III) oxide remains undissolved in the sodium hydroxide solution and settles down.