Pot Tender Job Description:

Tends battery of reduction pots that smelt aluminum oxide into aluminum: Adds specified amounts of oxide to pots from overhead hopper, at designated time intervals, and rakes oxide over crust formed by cooling of bath. Observes gas flames breaking through crust, and rakes oxide or pieces of crust over flames to prevent damage to anode. Watches warning lights and notes color of electrolyte (solution), and breaks up crust to add oxide to bath, using crowbar or pneumatic crust-breaking machine. Stirs bath to eliminate gas, using rake. Observes instruments and turns rheostat, or repositions anode in bath, to increase or decrease current flow and regulate temperature of solution. May train workers in operation of reduction pots.