A white solid, NaA1O₂ or Na₂Al₂O₄, which is insoluble in ethanol and soluble in water giving strongly alkaline solutions; m.p. 1800°C. It is manufactured by heating bauxite with sodium carbonate and extracting the residue with water, or it may be prepared in the laboratory by adding excess aluminium to hot concentrated sodium hydroxide. In solution the ion Al(OH)₄⁻ predominates. Sodium aluminate is used as a mordant, in the production of zeolites, in effluent treatment, in glass manufacture, and in cleansing compounds.