PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF ALUMINUM INGOTS, ALUMINUM INGOTS, AND PROTECTIVE GAS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ALUMINUM INGOTS

A process for producing aluminum ingots which are lowered in the content of oxides by inhibiting the surface oxidation of molten aluminum, namely, a process for the production of ingots of aluminum or aluminum alloys which comprises the melting step (melting furnace (1)) of melting aluminum metal into molten aluminum, the holding step (holding furnace (2)) of holding the molten aluminum, the dehydrogenation step (dehydrogenation unit (3)) of removing hydrogen gas from the molten aluminum, the filtration step (filter (4)) of removing inclusions from the molten aluminum, and the casting step (casting equipment (5)) of solidifying the resulting molten aluminum into a prescribed shape, wherein at least one of the above steps is conducted in the atmosphere of a protective gas comprising a fluorinating gas, carbon dioxide gas, and nitrogen and/or argon gas.