Facts about aluminum

Use and recycling of aluminium

Aluminum can be melted down and reused several times. The reuse saves large amounts of energy compared to primary production. When aluminum is reused, the quality of the metal does not deteriorate either, and the result is both cost-effective and environmentally beneficial in the long run.

Read more about aluminum recycling.

Characteristics

Aluminum is light, durable and can be processed and alloyed in many different ways. The metal also has excellent conductivity, high corrosion resistance and high strength.

Read more about the properties of aluminium.

Production

Aluminum is produced from the rock bauxite, which is mined around the world. It is the most abundant metal in the earth's crust. Through a chemical purification process, the bauxite is converted into aluminum oxide, from which primary aluminum can then be extracted. 

Alloys

In order to obtain the right properties for different products, we alloy aluminum with other metals.

The history of aluminium

Aluminum was discovered at the end of the 18th century by the French chemist Antoine Lavoisier. The first to succeed in extracting it was the Danish chemist Hans Christian Ørsted in 1825. Before it was discovered that aluminum could be produced from bauxite, it was the most expensive metal in the world. The name aluminum comes from the Latin word alumen, which means bitter salt.