Cell room: view of cells producing aluminium. High voltages of D.C. are passed through alumina (aluminium oxide) mixed with carbon and cryolite, producing pure aluminium, oxygen and slag. Digital ima ...

Description Cell room: view of cells producing aluminium. High voltages of D.C. are passed through alumina (aluminium oxide) mixed with carbon and cryolite, producing pure aluminium, oxygen and slag. Digital image of B 13394

Date 9/4/1991

Catalogue Number SC 716962

Category On-line Digital Images

Copy of B 13394

Scope and Content Cells in cell room, Aluminium Works, Kinlochleven, Highland The aluminium works at Kinlochleven was built between 1904 and 1909 by the British Aluminium Company Limited. By 1911 the works were producing about 7,112 tonnes of aluminium per annum which was around 87% of the total output of the company at that time. The works closed in June 2000. This shows the cells which produced aluminium. Each cell was lined with carbon blocks and was electrically connected to the cell next to it. This enabled direct electric current to flow from cell to cell ensuring that alumina (aluminium oxide) was dissolved by molten cryolite (sodium aluminium fluoride). This process produced pure aluminium metal, oxygen and slag (waste material). Aluminium is a lightweight metal which is strong and anti-corrosive. Approximately 2032kg of alumina and 508kg of carbon products are needed to make 1016kg of aluminium in a smelter. The metal was widely used for domestic utensils in the late 19th century. Today, aluminium is mainly used in aircraft manufacture. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

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