The Naked Scientists
  • Login
  • Register
  • Podcasts
      • The Naked Scientists
      • eLife
      • Naked Genetics
      • Naked Astronomy
      • In short
      • Naked Neuroscience
      • Ask! The Naked Scientists
      • Question of the Week
      • Archive
      • Video
      • SUBSCRIBE to our Podcasts
  • Articles
      • Science News
      • Features
      • Interviews
      • Answers to Science Questions
  • Get Naked
      • Donate
      • Do an Experiment
      • Science Forum
      • Ask a Question
  • About
      • Meet the team
      • Our Sponsors
      • Site Map
      • Contact us

User menu

  • Login
  • Register
  • Home
  • Help
  • Search
  • Tags
  • Recent Topics
  • Login
  • Register
  1. Naked Science Forum
  2. Non Life Sciences
  3. Geology, Palaeontology & Archaeology
  4. How rare is native aluminum metal?
« previous next »
  • Print
Pages: [1]   Go Down

How rare is native aluminum metal?

  • 5 Replies
  • 6330 Views
  • 3 Tags

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Iwonda (OP)

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • 86
  • Activity:
    0%
  • Thanked: 6 times
  • Naked Science Forum Newbie
How rare is native aluminum metal?
« 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?
Logged
 



Offline Bored chemist

  • Naked Science Forum GOD!
  • *******
  • 31102
  • Activity:
    11%
  • Thanked: 1291 times
Re: How rare is native aluminum metal?
« Reply #1 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?
Logged
Please disregard all previous signatures.
 

Offline alancalverd

  • Global Moderator
  • Naked Science Forum GOD!
  • ********
  • 21162
  • Activity:
    63.5%
  • Thanked: 60 times
  • Life is too short for instant coffee
Re: How rare is native aluminum metal?
« Reply #2 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.   
Logged
Helping stem the tide of ignorance
 

Offline evan_au

  • Global Moderator
  • Naked Science Forum GOD!
  • ********
  • 11035
  • Activity:
    9%
  • Thanked: 1486 times
Re: How rare is native aluminum metal?
« Reply #3 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.
Logged
 

Offline Bored chemist

  • Naked Science Forum GOD!
  • *******
  • 31102
  • Activity:
    11%
  • Thanked: 1291 times
Re: How rare is native aluminum metal?
« Reply #4 on: 21/11/2019 18:43:00 »
Never say never.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_aluminium
Logged
Please disregard all previous signatures.
 
The following users thanked this post: evan_au



Offline Iwonda (OP)

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • 86
  • Activity:
    0%
  • Thanked: 6 times
  • Naked Science Forum Newbie
Re: How rare is native aluminum metal?
« Reply #5 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".
Logged
 



  • Print
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »
Tags: native  / aluminum  / metal 
 
There was an error while thanking
Thanking...
  • SMF 2.0.15 | SMF © 2017, Simple Machines
    Privacy Policy
    SMFAds for Free Forums
  • Naked Science Forum ©

Page created in 0.322 seconds with 39 queries.

  • Podcasts
  • Articles
  • Get Naked
  • About
  • Contact us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Subscribe to newsletter
  • We love feedback

Follow us

cambridge_logo_footer.png

©The Naked Scientists® 2000–2017 | The Naked Scientists® and Naked Science® are registered trademarks created by Dr Chris Smith. Information presented on this website is the opinion of the individual contributors and does not reflect the general views of the administrators, editors, moderators, sponsors, Cambridge University or the public at large.