March 23, 1821: Bauxite Discovered
WEBThe discovery of bauxite occurred near Les Baux, France, an ancient village near the Mediterranean Sea named for, and carved from, a rocky outcrop. On March 23, 1821, a geologist named Pierre Berthier discovered a reddish, claylike material. He found that the substance, later named bauxite after the village, consisted of about 50 percent ...