The feasibility of extracting alumina from kaolin via a microwave extraction process was investigated by comparing reaction times, reaction temperatures, and acid concentrations under microwave treatment with the same factors under conventional thermal extraction. The maximum amount of alumina extracted from kaolin under conventional processing at 90 degrees C for 240 min with 1M H2SO4 was 99.9%; the same amount of alumina was extracted under microwave processing at 90 degrees C for 120 min with 1M H2SO4.