2070 – 03 – Characteristics of Aluminum

Aluminum is abundant in the earth’s crust, but doesn’t exist in nature as a pure element. It must be extracted from its ore, and that manufacturing process is a complex one.

In its pure form, aluminum is pale, whitish-silver in color. It’s lightweight and not difficult to form machine, or cast. These qualities make it a high-demand metal in them manufacturing industry – second only to steel.

However, pure aluminum has its issues. It is soft and not particularly elastic. And therefore, aluminum alloys are often used to offset these unwanted properties.