Q1. [3] medium thorough-understanding
Aluminium smelting plants need to be located where two critical conditions are reliably met. What are these two conditions, and why is each one specifically important for this industry rather than for most other mineral-based industries?
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:36 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Two critical conditions for aluminium smelting plants are:
- Regular supply of electricity — Aluminium smelting is an extremely power-intensive electrochemical process. Unlike most mineral industries, it consumes enormous amounts of electricity continuously, making proximity to a cheap, uninterrupted power source essential for economic viability.
- Assured source of raw material (bauxite) at minimum cost — Bauxite is bulky and heavy, making long-distance transport expensive. Most other mineral industries are also raw-material oriented, but the combination of both a power-hungry process AND a bulky input makes co-location of both factors uniquely critical here.
Source: Chapter 6, Aluminium Smelting section
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Explanation
The textbook explicitly states: "Regular supply of electricity and an assured source of raw material at minimum cost are the two prime factors for location of the industry." Examiners expect both factors named and a reason for each. The "why is it specific to aluminium" angle is answered by stressing the electrolytic/energy-intensive nature of smelting (not found in most industries) and the bulkiness of bauxite. Keep reasons brief but precise — one sentence each is enough for 3 marks.