Hall–Héroult process
Elemental aluminium cannot be produced by the electrolysis of an aqueous aluminium salt, because hydronium ions readily oxidize elemental aluminium. Although a molten aluminium salt could be used instead, aluminium oxide has a melting point of 2072 °C so electrolysing it is impractical. In the Hall–Héroult process, alumina, Al2O3, is dissolved in molten synthetic cryolite, Na3AlF6, to lower its melting point for easier electrolysis. The carbon source is generally a coke (fossil fuel).