Plural of bauxite; the primary ore mineral from which aluminum is extracted, consisting of aluminum oxides and hydroxides.
From Les Baux, a region in southern France where the mineral was first identified in 1821. Named after the location of discovery, following mineralogical naming conventions.
Every aluminum can, airplane, and skyscraper starts as bauxite ore—and it's all named after a tiny French village, meaning one geographical location gave its name to the material building our modern world!
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