Aluminum is an abundant metal
that is derived from bauxite. When in its purest state, bauxite looks like
clay. In its regular forms, bauxite contains aluminum and several other
substances. To retrieve these substances, workmen grind the bauxite into
a powdered form and put it into pressurized tanks. The substance that remains
forms a mass that is extracted using filtration methods leaving a liquid
behind. The liquid is processed a couple of more times and finally yields
a white, powdery chemical named alumina. This mixture contains aluminum
and oxygen. Using electrolysis, workmen separte the aluminum from the oxygen
to produce a metal that comes in many forms but always will have a bright,
silvery luster. |