Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 April 1894 — Uses of Aluminum. [ARTICLE]

Uses of Aluminum.

Aluminum or aluminium is a metallic element never found free in naturp. It exists in combination in nearly 200 different minerals, among which are included most of the precious stones. Its value as a metal has long been known, and is due to its beautiful bluish white lustre, its lightness, its resistance to oxydization, and, in the manufacture of bells, its fine sonorous quality. The suit of complete armor in which Jean de Reszke appears as Lohengrin, has all the appearance of being made entirely of silver, but, being really made of aluminum, is no heavier than an ordinary suit of winter clothing, including underwear, besides being more durable than if it were of silver. While aluminum will take a polish equal to that of silver, it neither rusts nor blackens, nor is it easily affected by sulphuric acid, and its weight is only about one-fourth that of an equal volume of silver. The difficulties in obtaining it are chemical ones, and have for years stood in the way of its general employment in manufacture. Within the past few years there have from time to time been promises of various methods by which the metal might be produced from common clay at a cost sufficiently low to warrant its manufacture on a large scale. The commercial results, however, appear to be still inconsiderable, little aluminum being found in manufactured articles other than jewelry—[Courier Journal.