In the non-ferrous metal industry a unique position is given to electrolytic production as being one of the most energy-consuming and environmentally dangerous technologies. Thus, for example, obtaining aluminum by cryolite-alumina melt electrolysis is accompanied by the atmospheric emissions of fluorine-, sulphur-containing substances and hydrocarbons, and magnesium production – by the emission of chlorine and organochlorine compounds. By present time those suggestions in terms of aluminum and magnesium production are considered relevant that are aimed at improving the environmental situation in the vicinity of metallurgical plants. Despite the fact that existing aluminum and magnesium production technologies are under favorable conditions for development and can be really adopted at existing plants, there are ideas and suggestions appearing to create new technologies based on scientific advances in electrolytic light metal production. The authors used magnesium and aluminum as research objects. They considered interaction between metals and aqueous solutions of their salts – MgSO4, MgCl2, Al2(SO4)3, AlCl3 chlorides and sulfates. It is shown that such interactions always take place in a diffuse area that provide for using various design solutions when selecting the process instrumentation. Experimental data were used to determine the reaction order with respect to the solvent, speed and activation energy constants. The results prove the assumption that it is preferable to use chloride media facilitating the process course based on primary electrode reactions and excluding any auxiliary interactions. It is demonstrated that chloride solutions can serve as operating electrolytes and can carry the recovered metal ions. At the same time electrolytic saturation guarantees the impossibility of a reversible process – secondary metal melt which leads to reducing the main indicators of cryolite-alumina melt electrolysis.
