It is described a process for extracting aluminum from aluminum-bearing materials comprising the steps of leaching the aluminum-bearing material with HCl to obtain aluminum chloride; separating and purifying the aluminum chloride; providing aluminum chloride to an electrolysis cell comprising an anode connected to a source of hydrogen gas delivering the hydrogen gas during use to the anode, and a cathode; passing an electric current from the anode through the cathode, depositing aluminum at the cathode; and draining the aluminum from the cathode.

A process for producing an aluminum-scandium based alloy from aluminum and scandium chloride, the process also producing aluminum chloride as a by-product and including the step of reducing scandium chloride in the presence of aluminum in a reaction zone and under reaction conditions which favor production of the aluminum-scandium based alloy.

A method and ionic liquid for the electrorecovery of metal from a metal salt including at least one metal ion. The method includes the steps of dissolving the metal salt in an ionic liquid, the ionic liquid including an ionic liquid cation and an ionic liquid anion; whereby the metal ion of the metal salt forms a metal complex in solution with at least the ionic liquid cation; and subjecting the metal complex to an electrical potential between a cathode and anode to recover metal at the cathode. The ionic liquid includes an ionic liquid cation and an ionic liquid anion, wherein the ionic liquid cation has an affinity for the metal ion which is at least about equal to that of the ionic liquid anion for the metal ion.