Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Geology, Palaeontology & Archaeology => Topic started by: Iwonda on 21/11/2019 05:00:19

Title: How rare is native aluminum metal?
Post by: Iwonda on 21/11/2019 05:00:19

If you do a search on the subject, the articles you find will say that it is very rare but then when you search for photos you find what looks like nice size chunks of metal. Just how rare is native aluminum and what's the largest piece ever found?

Title: Re: How rare is native aluminum metal?
Post by: Bored chemist on 21/11/2019 07:28:52

Quote from: Iwonda on 21/11/2019 05:00:19

you find what looks like nice size chunks of metal.

Where?

Title: Re: How rare is native aluminum metal?
Post by: alancalverd on 21/11/2019 11:49:44

Damn near impossible. The stuff oxidises as soon as you look at it. The fact that the oxide is flexible and fairly impermeable is the reason it's used for aircraft skins, but any Al found in nature is almost certainly as oxide: bauxite, cryolite, corundum or (if you're lucky) sapphire.   

Title: Re: How rare is native aluminum metal?
Post by: evan_au on 21/11/2019 16:46:02

Any metallic aluminium you find on Earth is produced by humans.

Aluminium is produced in supernovas, but even there it will be quickly oxidised.

Title: Re: How rare is native aluminum metal?
Post by: Bored chemist on 21/11/2019 18:43:00

Never say never.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_aluminium

Title: Re: How rare is native aluminum metal?
Post by: Iwonda on 23/11/2019 03:59:26

Quote from: Bored chemist on 21/11/2019 18:43:00

Never say never.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_aluminium

Based on what I have come to know about aluminum I do feel that native aluminum sounds impossible but I do also agree that when it comes to nature, we should never say never. Nature can be a "Mother".