Paragominas Bauxite Mine

Aluminum is the third most abundant element in the earth’s crust, but it does not naturally occur as a metal. The first step in producing aluminum is mining its ore—bauxite. The Paragominas Bauxite Mine in Brazil, seen here, produces more than 5 million tons (4.5 million metric tons) of bauxite every year, and represents one of the largest reserves of the material in the country.

-3.245423°, -47.702873°

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