Method of winning aluminum metal from aluminous ore

A method of winning aluminum metal from aluminous ore containing alumina comprising:

• contacting said ore with a sulfur-containing gas and with carbon to react alumina, carbon and sulfur at a temperature of 1300-1500 K to yield aluminum sulfide (Al.sub.2 S.sub.3) and carbon monoxide gas;
• including sufficient BaS in the reacted materials to ensure a molten phase containing aluminum sulfide;
• separating said aluminum sulfide in molten phase from a solid phase containing impurities and residual reactants and from a gaseous phase containing carbon monoxide and residual sulfur;
• heating said aluminum sulfide in molten phase to a first temperature sufficient to cause it to decompose to aluminum monosulfide (AlS) liquid and sulfur gas;
• withdrawing said sulfur gas for recycle into contact with said ore;
• subsequently cooling said molten aluminum monosulfide to a second temperature sufficiently low to cause it to disproportionate to aluminum sulfide and molten aluminum metal;
• and
• separating said molten aluminum metal product from said aluminum sulfide.