Description

This lecture illustrates the natural abundance of the element and the history of its extraction from the ore; it shows the properties of pure aluminium, outlines the importance of alloys to commercial development and shows the range of alloys available and their classification; it describes the principal markets for aluminium; it illustrates the basic processes used in the production of primary aluminium and the main fabricating routes used to provide the products needed by manufacturing industry; it outlines the structure of the European aluminium industry and the historical contexts which shaped its growth.