Aluminum is a light metal whose compounds are widely distributed in nature. The resources of aluminum in the earth's crust are about 40 to 50 billion tons, ranking third after oxygen and silicon. Among metal types, it is the second largest category of metal after steel. Aluminum has special chemical and physical properties. It is not only light in weight and strong in texture, but also has good ductility, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, heat resistance and nuclear radiation resistance. It is an important basic raw material for the development of the national economy.
The specific gravity of aluminum is 2.7, and the density is 2.72g/cm3, which is about 1/3 of ordinary metals. In addition to the purity, the mechanical properties of industrial pure aluminum are also related to the processing status of the material. Because aluminum has good plasticity and ductility, it is convenient for various cold and hot pressure processing.
It can be made into aluminum foil with a thickness of only 0.006 mm, or it can be cold-drawn into extremely fine wires. Aluminum can also be alloyed with other elements to harden it to a point that is stronger than structural steel while still maintaining the advantage of being lightweight.
The production of aluminum ingots consists of bauxite mining, alumina production, aluminum electrolysis and other production links.