Aluminium hydroxide gels have been prepared by the hydrolysis of amalgamated aluminium in water and by precipitation from aluminium salt solutions with an anion exchange resin in the hydroxyl form. The products crystallizing from such gels have been examined by electron microscopy and by X-ray and electron diffraction. Bayerite crystallizes as cone or pyramid-shaped particles and gibbsite as hexagonal plates or prisms. Two types of gel are postulated. The first type, pseudoboehmite, predominates in the absence of acids, is uncharged and rapidly crystallizes to bayerite; the second type, pregibbsite gel, occurs in carboxylic acid solutions, is positively charged and, in the absence of inorganic anions, crystallizes slowly to gibbsite.