Page 134 - The Periodic Table Book

13
Al Aluminium

Discovery: 1825
13 13 14 State: Solid
Forms This crystal contains This aluminium ore
Alum crystal compounds. source of the element.
aluminium and sulfur
is the world’s main

Bauxite
Variscite

Pellets of pure aluminium
refined in a laboratory

Reflective surface

This slice of aluminium
phosphate mineral has
a turquoise green colour.

Although aluminium is the most common also be found in other minerals, including
metal in Earth’s rocks, scientists did not variscite. Today, aluminium is often recycled
discover it until the early 1800s. Even then, because producing it anew requires 15 times
it took a further 80 years for scientists to work more energy. The metal makes a strong, shiny
out how to use the ore bauxite to extract foil when rolled flat, and is useful for storing
132 large amounts of pure aluminium. It can foods. A fire protection suit made from

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