The mechanism of the reduction of carbon/alumina powder mixture in a flowing nitrogen stream was studied. Five steps were found to be involved in the overall reaction. [GRAPHICS] The consumption rates of Al2O3 and carbon, and the production rate of AlN, were determined to be d[Al2O3]/dt = -143.88(1+m)exp(-290 580/RT) [Al2O3] [C]2/ {1+5.83 x 10(14)exp(-427 497/RT [CO2]/[CO]}2 kg mol s-1 m-3 d[C]/dt = -409.504exp(-254 500/RT) [Al2O3] [C]2/ {1+5.83 x 10(14)exp(-427 497/RT) [CO2]/[CO]}2 kg mol s-1 m-3 d[AlN]/dt = 53.24(1+m)exp(-290 580/RT) [Al2O3][C]2/ {1+5.83 x 10(14)exp(-427 497/RT) [CO2]/[CO]}2 kg mol s-1 m-3 in the temperature range 1648-1825 K.