Aluminum, the largest metal on the earth

     Aluminum is the most abundant metal on the earth, accounting for about 8% of the earth's mass. It mainly exists in the form of aluminate silicate ore, as well as bauxite and various precious gemstones. Prehistoric humans have used clay containing aluminum compounds to make pottery, but aluminum metal products were not used until the 19th century.

   Since aluminum is the largest metal on the earth, why was copper not aluminum the first metal used by mankind? Because aluminum is very active, there is no free elemental substance in nature. Aluminum only exists in all kinds of ores, and because it is too active, it is not like metal copper, which can be smelted by directly heating it after mixing with charcoal powder, let alone widely used. At the beginning of the production of metal aluminum, the price of aluminum was much more expensive than gold, which shows how difficult it is to smelt aluminum. It was not until later industrialized production that aluminum products became the price of cabbage!

  There is also a little story about the precious value of aluminum at that time. It is said that in ancient Rome, a stranger went to see the Roman emperor Tiberius one day and presented a metal cup. The cup was shining like silver, but the weight was very light. It was a new metal refined from clay by this man. However, the emperor expressed gratitude on the surface, but was afraid that this dazzling new metal would devalue his gold and silver treasures, so he ordered the inventor to be beheaded. Since then, no one has ever thought of refining this "dangerous metal". This new metal is now very familiar aluminum, but it is more valuable than gold at the beginning of use!

    The successful appearance of metal aluminum is a shock to the whole human world. The inexhaustible supply of aluminum ore, coupled with the characteristics of non rusting and light metal aluminum, has rapidly ushered in a great change in the material industry. Why the material industry is important is because the human mind is always ahead of the surrounding materials. When humans want to fly, they are limited by the heavy and perishable metal steel. Until the emergence of lightweight aluminum breaks the barrier and allows humans to fly. In fact, it is the same until now. It has long been the urgent desire of every scientist to obtain unlimited energy through controlled nuclear fusion. However, no material can resist the high temperature generated by its reaction. Perhaps one day, a suitable material will be invented by mankind. At that time, it will lead to a new course of human civilization development like the discovery of metal aluminum by mankind!