Dan’s exploring the amazing world of Aluminium… the cool metal that can be recycled over and over again!

He’s on a science adventure to follow aluminium from where it begins to the everyday objects made of it that you use.  And you have a chance to become a Recycling Detective, and get hands on with this amazing metal! 

In “What is Aluminium” Dan meets Amy, who’s an aluminium expert.

She explains how aluminium is strong, durable, easy to mold into all sorts of different shapes and extremely easy to recycle.  And that we use over 200,000 tonnes of aluminium in packaging every year – that’s the same weight as 33,000 African bush elephants!

Dan then explores a bauxite quarry in Queensland, Australia, which is hot, dusty and very noisy – it’s the primary ore from which aluminium is extracted, and is a a reddish-brown rock that’s dug out of the ground near the surface.

Aluminium is locked inside the bauxite, and to get it out, the bauxite is crushed and mixed with hot chemicals to dissolve the aluminium rich part, separating it from waste material to create Alumina – no, not a Harry Potter spell! Alumina is just another name for aluminium oxide – as it contains oxygen, electricity is used to split them apart in a process called electrolysis.

Back at the foundary, the alumina is heated to nearly one thousand degrees Celsius to form liquid aluminium – and that’s as hot as lava fresh from a volcano. Other metals like copper or magnesium are then mixed in to create aluminium alloys that are strong and tough. From here, aluminium can be shaped into almost anything. Spectacle frames, phone cases, car parts, plane bodies and even spaceships.

And here’s a fun fact, did you know the thinnest part of an aluminium drink can wall is just 0.07mm thick – that’s thinner than a human hair! How aluminium amazing is that!

RECYCLING DETECTIVES

No hard hats needed for this – just curious brains and a bit of kitchen scavenging.  It’s ‘Magnet Mystery.’

All you’ll need is a magnet and a few small metal objects from around the house, say a drinks can, some aluminium foil, a spoon, maybe a paperclip. Then one by one, hold the magnet near each object and see what happens.   If you can’t find a magnet at home, you could use the magnetic strip around the fridge door!

You’ll see that the paperclip jumps straight to the magnet. But the aluminium can and foil… they do absolutely nothing.  This is because aluminium is not magnetic. Even though it is a metal, magnets are just not interested in it at all. Aluminium doesn’t have the right magnetic structure, so it’s unaffected by magnets even though it conducts electricity very well.  

Here are some clicky links to help you find out more

Click here to listen to the Science Quest Podcast

Click here to find out more about Amazing Aluminium

And Click here for some amazing free aluminium education resources!

Always remember to always recycle your aluminium – whether a drink can or foil tray, foil wrapping or bottle cap – always put your aluminium into your recycling. After all, aluminium is infinitely recyclable.

AMAZING ALUMINIUM
Created with support from Alupro