Background | Name | Sources | Uses | Alternative Sources
Background
Aluminum is a silver-white metal, very light in weight (less than three times as dense as water), yet relatively strong. In addition, aluminum is ductile, that is, it can be drawn into wires or pressed into sheets or foil. It is the most abundant metallic element, and the third most abundant of all elements in the Earth’s crust, making up 8% of the crust by weight. Only silicon and oxygen are more plentiful.
Aluminum has numerous applications in the home and industry, and is a familiar metal to nearly everyone.