More detailed information on aluminium

In comparison with all other non-ferrous metals, aluminium is a rather young  material. In the beginning of the 19th century, for the first time aluminium was extracted from bauxite in laboratory tests. More than 100 years passed by until the first European metallurgical works for aluminium and electrolysis in Neuhausen (Germany) industrially produced aluminium. Since then, aluminium proved to be the most commonly used non-ferrous metal. After World War I the first aluminium secondary works were founded that dealt with the recycling of aluminium scrap and aluminium wastes. The energy balance of aluminium recycling shows that it pays off to extend life cycle of aluminium by “generations”. About 40 % of worldwide aluminium demand result from recycled aluminium.