Abstract: In a process for melting aluminum or its alloys in an induction melting furnace of the channel type, in which the melting channels are to be protected by cryolithe against the attack of the melt, and wherein a gas or gas mixture is introduced into the melting channels of the inductor units, which gas contains halogens or compounds capable of splitting off halogens, the improvement that, for the production of the necessary quantity of cryolithe the melting charge contains an amount of sodium of at least 15 ppm together with an amount of lithium and/or calcium and/or potassium totalling at least 15 ppm. Substances are also introduced capable of splitting-off fluorine.