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Oceanic cycling
Aluminum primarily enters oceans by the process of mineral dust deposition. Dust deposition mainly occurs in the Atlantic Ocean, and in the Indian Ocean to a lesser extent, with dust mainly originating from Western Africa and Southern Asia, respectively. From here, some aluminum dust dissolves into the oceans' water columns. Aluminum may also enter or re-enter the cycle from sedimentary sources from oceanic basins.

Recent research suggests that dissolved aluminum is transported by ocean currents through advection. Because of advection, dissolved aluminum is present in a greater area within the ocean's surface. Dissolved aluminum is especially dispersed over the greater Atlantic ocean, first towards Central America and eventually as far as Iceland.

The process of particle scavenging is the main source of dissolved aluminum removal, with dissolved aluminum accumulating on sinking particulates. However, some particulate aluminum is released during sinking, as a result of this scavenging being reversible. The reversibility of this scavenging allows for the distribution of aluminum across depth, with dissolved aluminum becoming more common at greater depths, albeit in lesser concentrations than that of the surface.

Phytoplankton may contribute to the removal of aluminum within the scavenging process. At the ocean's surface, dissolved aluminum is incorporated into phytoplankton, primarily within the cell walls of diatoms. Particulate aluminum—whether adsorbed onto mineral or biotic particulates—eventually sinks to the ocean floor, where it is buried.