| Aluminum is an abundant metal
that has many uses. It comes from an ore called Bauxite that looks like
clay. Bauxite contains aluminum and several other substances. Workmen extract
these other substances from the bauxite by grinding. They put the bauxite
in pressurized tanks which causes the other substances to form a mass.
They use filters to then remove the mass. A liquid is all that remains.
The bauxite is then put through several other processes. In the end, a
white, powdery chemical is formed called alumina. Alumina is a mixture
of Aluminum and Oxygen. Workmen then use electricity to separate the Al
and O2. Finally, a light, silvery, bright metal is produced. This metal
comes in many forms. |