Britannica Sources used in this answer

How much carbon is consumed to make one kilogram of aluminum?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

In the modern Hall-Héroult process used for aluminum smelting, approximately 450 grams (about 1 pound) of carbon are consumed for every kilogram of aluminum produced.1

This consumption occurs at the carbon anodes, where the electrolysis of alumina results in the evolution of carbon dioxide.1