Question

The primary ore mineral of Aluminium is known as?

• A. Hematite
• B. Bauxite
• C. Galena
• D. Chalcopyrite

Hint:

Match important ores with metals: Iron $\rightarrow$ Hematite, Copper $\rightarrow$ Chalcopyrite, Lead $\rightarrow$ Galena, Aluminium $\rightarrow$ \textbf{Bauxite}.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept: An ore is a naturally occurring mineral from which a metal can be economically extracted. Aluminium is one of the most abundant elements in the Earth's crust, but it does not occur in a free state due to its high reactivity. Instead, it is found combined with other elements, primarily in the form of oxide minerals. Bauxite is the principal ore of aluminium and is composed mainly of hydrated aluminium oxides such as gibbsite \((Al(OH)_3)\), boehmite \((\gamma-AlO(OH))\), and diaspore \((\alpha-AlO(OH))\). It often contains impurities like iron oxides and silica. Step 1:Identify the common ores of the given metals.

• Hematite is an ore of iron.
• Galena is an ore of lead.
• Chalcopyrite is an ore of copper.
• Bauxite is the chief ore of aluminium.

Step 2:Understand why bauxite is important.
Bauxite is the most significant aluminium-bearing ore because it contains a high percentage of aluminium and can be processed efficiently using the Bayer process to extract alumina, followed by electrolysis (Hall-Héroult process) to obtain pure aluminium.
Step 3:Select the correct answer.
Thus, the primary ore mineral of aluminium is Bauxite.