Aluminium is a very light silver metal that can be formed into any shape. It is one of the most common elements on Earth. About 8% of the Earth’s crust is made up of aluminium. But you always find it in combination with other elements, never in its pure form.

It is often used as an alloy—together with copper, magnesium, or tin. When it is formed with these elements, aluminium becomes very valuable. Such alloys are very light, but strong. They do not corrode, and electricity and heat can pass through them easily.

Aluminium can be as strong as steel. It is frequently used to make cars and trucks, as well as containers for ships. Industries make cans, pots, and pans out of aluminium.

Most of our aluminium is found in rocks called bauxite. About 500 kg of aluminium can be made out of a ton of bauxite. This valuable raw material is mined in tropical and subtropical countries. Australia, Jamaica, Brazil are among the biggest producers.



Aluminium can
Image:Tomomarusan, CC BY-SA 3.0,
via Wikimedia Commons 



Words

  • alloy = material that is made up of two or more metals mixed together
  • common = found very often
  • copper = a reddish-brown metal used to make wires and pipes
  • corrode = rust
  • crust = the top part of the Earth
  • electricity = the power in wires and cables, used to make machines work
  • frequently = very often
  • in combination with = together with
  • industries = factories
  • magnesium = a silver, white metal that burns with a bright, white flame
  • mine = to dig round holes in the ground in order to get raw materials
  • pots and pans = steel objects that are used for cooking
  • pure = not mixed with anything else
  • raw material = natural material that can be found in nature
  • shape = the form that something has
  • steel = strong metal that can be easily shaped
  • tin = soft, white metal that is often used to cover and protect steel
  • valuable = worth a lot