A method for reducing aluminosilicate containing scale in a Bayer process, comprising: identifying a Bayer process equipment surface that is subject to scale formation during the Bayer process; contacting the identified Bayer process equipment surface with an amount of a scale inhibiting composition effective to form a treated surface that is more resistant to scale formation upon subsequent contact with a Bayer process stream than an otherwise comparable untreated surface; wherein the scale inhibiting composition comprises a liquor comprising an aqueous solution of one or more water-soluble salts having at least 0.004 wt/wt% or more of total dissolved salts or a liquor having a pH of 11.0 or greater, the scale inhibiting composition further comprising a silicon-containing compound having -Si n groups; wherein: n is an integer from 1 to 3; and R is H, optionally substituted C 1 -C 20 alkyl, optionally substituted C 6 -C 12 aryl, optionally substituted C 7 -C 20 aralkyl, optionally substituted C 2 -C 20 alkenyl, Group I metal ion, Group II metal ion, or NR 1 4; where each R 1 is independently chosen from H, optionally substituted C 1 -C 20 alkyl, optionally substituted C 6 -C 12 aryl, optionally substituted C 7 -C 20 aralkyl, and optionally substituted C 2 -C 20 alkenyl; and contacting the treated surface with the Bayer process stream; wherein the Bayer process equipment surface is first pretreated with the solution of the silicon-containing compound in the liquor, before being exposed to the Bayer process stream; wherein the silicon-containing compound is a polymer or a polymeric reaction product. identifying a Bayer process equipment surface that is subject to scale formation during the Bayer process; contacting the identified Bayer process equipment surface with an amount of a scale inhibiting composition effective to form a treated surface that is more resistant to scale formation upon subsequent contact with a Bayer process stream than an otherwise comparable untreated surface; wherein the scale inhibiting composition comprises a liquor comprising an aqueous solution of one or more water-soluble salts having at least 0.004 wt/wt% or more of total dissolved salts or a liquor having a pH of 11.0 or greater, the scale inhibiting composition further comprising a silicon-containing compound having -Si n groups; wherein: n is an integer from 1 to 3; and R is H, optionally substituted C 1 -C 20 alkyl, optionally substituted C 6 -C 12 aryl, optionally substituted C 7 -C 20 aralkyl, optionally substituted C 2 -C 20 alkenyl, Group I metal ion, Group II metal ion, or NR 1 4; where each R 1 is independently chosen from H, optionally substituted C 1 -C 20 alkyl, optionally substituted C 6 -C 12 aryl, optionally substituted C 7 -C 20 aralkyl, and optionally substituted C 2 -C 20 alkenyl; and contacting the treated surface with the Bayer process stream; wherein the Bayer process equipment surface is first pretreated with the solution of the silicon-containing compound in the liquor, before being exposed to the Bayer process stream; wherein the silicon-containing compound is a polymer or a polymeric reaction product. n is an integer from 1 to 3; and R is H, optionally substituted C 1 -C 20 alkyl, optionally substituted C 6 -C 12 aryl, optionally substituted C 7 -C 20 aralkyl, optionally substituted C 2 -C 20 alkenyl, Group I metal ion, Group II metal ion, or NR 1 4; where each R 1 is independently chosen from H, optionally substituted C 1 -C 20 alkyl, optionally substituted C 6 -C 12 aryl, optionally substituted C 7 -C 20 aralkyl, and optionally substituted C 2 -C 20 alkenyl; and contacting the treated surface with the Bayer process stream; wherein the Bayer process equipment surface is first pretreated with the solution of the silicon-containing compound in the liquor, before being exposed to the Bayer process stream; wherein the silicon-containing compound is a polymer or a polymeric reaction product.