Do you know bauxite, as well as aluminum? 

Surely you have already seen this rock, whether in the coffee plantation, pasture or any other plantation area, or even in the ravines of roads, which is quite common.
What you probably didn't know is that this is raw material for the manufacture of aluminum. So this is the bauxite from which alumina is obtained, to later manufacture aluminum.
Aluminum was discovered in 1825, in Copenhagen, Denmark, by the Danish physicist Hans Christian Oersted (1777-1851) and in Germany by the chemist Friedrich Woehler (1800-1882). The name aluminum derives from the Latin alum.
Using the electrolysis method to decompose the mineral, in 1889 aluminum became a widely popular metal, being used in the most diverse segments: electrical conductors, kitchens, tools, automobiles and others.
Currently, Brazil has the largest bauxite reserves in the world, practically all of its extraction takes place in the State of Pará.
Bauxite in its natural form is mostly formed by aluminum oxide, in addition to other aggregated minerals such as: muscovite, quartz, feldspar, among others, depending on the region. Therefore, bauxite is considered a sedimentary rock.
On average, the bauxite content here in Brazil ranges from 35 to 55%. Just like Brazil, here in the State of Espírito Santo, we also have a large concentration of bauxite, which is located in the central mountain regions and south of the State.
Generally, the places that have this type of rock are not very favorable for the practice of agriculture.
The bauxite industrialization method begins with crushing and grinding the rocks, where, in addition to the metallurgical industry, it is also used in the refractory and ceramics industry, abrasives and civil construction.
Obtaining the final aluminum, obtained from bauxite, involves a very complex chemical and physical process, consuming a large amount of electrical energy through electrolysis, and the need for furnaces with high temperatures.
Just so you can have an idea, recycling an aluminum can like this saves electricity by 84%, which is why cans are the preferred target of scrap collectors.

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