Abstract: A process for recovering free aluminum and aluminum compounds such as aluminum oxide from aluminum dross in a rotary furnace heated with a plasma arc torch wherein air is preferably utilized as the arc gas is described. The use of the rotary furnace heated with plasma energy eliminates the need for a salt flux, providing a process which is ecologically safe and cost effective. A process of converting non-metallic aluminum compounds to substantially pure aluminum oxides by heating the compounds with a plasma torch operating with an oxidizing gas as the plasma torch arc gas is also described.