Smelting vs Remelting vs Recycling: What OneSky Actually Does
Clarifying terms: primary smelting vs remelting vs recycling, and how OneSky turns scrap into premium products.
In Plain Language
- Smelting makes primary aluminum from bauxite/alumina.
- Remelting/recycling convert scrap to quality feedstock.
- Energy savings up to ~95% vs primary production.
- Quality controls ensure spec-compliant outputs.
Smelting and recycling sound similar, yet they are very different jobs. Smelting makes brand-new aluminum from mined ore. Recycling melts safe scrap and pours it into new billets, ingots, or profiles. OneSky focuses on the recycling side.
What Happens in Smelting
- Smelting uses heavy electricity to split alumina into liquid metal.
- The metal cools in large pots before casting into logs or slabs.
What Happens in Recycling
- Recycling starts with sorting scrap so only aluminum reaches the furnace.
- The melt is filtered, cleaned, and cast into new feedstock for local factories.
Why the Difference Matters
- Recycling cuts energy use by up to 95% compared with smelting.
- Lower energy means less carbon released into the air.
- The loop keeps aluminum in use instead of sending it to landfills.
See our recycling process and sustainability work for more detail.
About the Author
OneSky Technical Team - OneSky Green Aluminum's expert team brings decades of experience in sustainable aluminum manufacturing and recycling. Our commitment to innovation and environmental responsibility drives everything we do.
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