| Aluminum is an abundant metal
with many uses. It comes from bauxite, an ore that looks like clay. Bauxite
contains aluminum, along with several other substances. Workmen extract
these other substances by grinding the bauxite in presure-filled tanks.
The other substances form a mass which is removed through filters. A liquid
remains, which they put through several other processes. It finally yields
alumina, a powdery, white chemical. This is a mixture that contains aluminum
and oxygen. Workmen separate the aluminum from the oxygen by using electricity.
Finally a light metal which comes in many forms, is produced. It has a
bright, silvery luster. |