Bauxite, BAWK syt, is the ore from which almost all aluminum is produced. Bauxite contains large amounts of hydrated aluminum hydroxide, a chemical combination of aluminum oxide and water. Aluminum oxide is also called alumina. Most bauxite consists of 30 to 60 percent alumina and 12 to 30 percent water. Bauxite was named for the town of Les Baux, France, where it was discovered in 1821.