Aluminium recycling is the process by which scrap aluminium can be reused in products after its initial production. The process involves simply re-melting the metal, which is far less expensive and energy-intensive than creating new aluminium through the electrolysis of aluminium oxide (Al2O3), which must first be mined from bauxite ore and then refined using the Bayer process. Recycling scrap aluminium requires only 5% of the energy used to make new aluminium.[1] For this reason, approximately 31% of all aluminium produced in the United States comes from recycled scrap.[2] Used beverage containers are the largest component of processed aluminum scrap, with most UBC scrap manufactured back into aluminum cans.[3]