What is the role of cryolite in the metallurgy of aluminium?
In the metallurgy of aluminium, the metal is to be isolated from alumina (Al2O3) by carrying out its electrolytic reduction. The melting point of alumina very high (2323 K). It is therefore, mixed with cryolite (Na3AIF6) which lowers its melting point to 1173 K.
