Aluminium is being used nearly every area of the industry, for production of countless products. Aluminium is especially important for aviation / plane industry because of its superior physical properties such as strength, lightweight and high resistance against oxidation.

Aluminium is a soft and light metal in glossy silver color. This color caused by the thin oxide layer when it is exposed to open air. Aluminium is non toxic and non magnetic. It does not spark. Pure aluminium's tensile strength is around 49 MPa. When it is alloyed with correct elements it can spike up to 700 MPa. It's density is around 1/3 of steel or copper. It can be forged, machine shaped and moulded in foundry. It is extremely resistant to oxidation because it already has an oxide layer in it. [1]

Aluminium can be produced in various
shape and sizes depending on where it is
going to be used.

 Electrolysis of Aluminium.

Aluminium is one of the most abundant elements in the world. In spite of that, it started being used in industry only after discovery of electrolysis in 1886.

Aluminium was very difficult to refine from ore during first years of it's discovery. Aluminium is one of the most difficult metals to refine. Reasons for that is it oxidates very fast, this oxidation layer is very stable and in contrast to iron, this layer of oxide does not peel of from surface.

With discovery of dynamo by Werver von Siemens in 1886 and bayer process by K.J. Bayer in 1892 which enables obtaining alumina from bauxite, aluminium become so much easier to produce. So this youngest metal become second most-used metal in world after iron and steel.  [2]

Aluminium recycling from scrap is an important element of today's aluminium industry. Recycling process is consists remelting of the aluminium at its basic. This method is so much economic compared to obtaining aluminium from ore. Refining aluminium from ore requires extremely high amount of electricity. Recycling, on the other hand, requires only 5 percent of the energy required producing primary aluminium.

Aluminium recycling is not a recently discovered process, it was being applied since early 1900s. It has been a rare process until end of the 1960's. With aluminium being used as beverage cans aluminium recycling become more and more common. Some of the frequently recycled components are otomotive parts, aluminium windows and doors, containers etc. [3]

An aluminium recycling furnace. [4]