Why You Should Never Throw Out Your Aluminium Items

From construction material to golf clubs, aluminium is found all over the world in nearly every industry. It is one of the most mined metals and yet it is so long-lasting and resistant to damage that even after many years of use, you can still recycle virtually all aluminium products. However, many people (wrongly) assume that if their aluminium is dirty or just a component in a larger construction, it is not worth it to recycle it. Here are a few reasons why aluminium recycling is possible for almost any type of aluminium. 

Difficult To Corrode

Corrosion is one of the primary reasons many metals and alloys become unusable. Luckily for aluminium, this is less of a problem because of a natural process through which aluminium generates a protective layer called aluminium oxide. As soon as aluminium comes into contact with any amount of oxygen, it develops this aluminium oxide, which is very resistant to rust and other corrosion processes. This also makes aluminium stronger and more long-lasting because it is not a manufactured process that could damage the other qualities of aluminium. It is entirely natural and a reason why aluminium can be so easily recycled. 

Non-Sparking

Aluminium recycling is made easier by the fact that aluminium will virtually never spark, even when struck, scratched and otherwise tested. While you have probably seen other metals and alloys spark when they clash, aluminium oxide layer means that any little chips of aluminium are automatically coated and therefore very unlikely to spark. In fact, outside of laboratory conditions, it is safe to say that aluminium will never spark. Considering that aluminium recycling is quite an intensive process that could cause sparking in other metals, the fact that aluminium does not spark means that it is far easier and safer for these plants to reform and reuse aluminium. 

Conductivity

You may not realise this, but apart from copper, aluminium is the only natural metal used for electrical purposes. This makes it extremely valuable for an untold number of projects that require cheap, light and conductive metals or alloys. Many recycled aluminium parts are later used in wiring buildings, vehicles and most likely even in the very house, you are reading this article in now. That is why recycling aluminium is so important: not only is it used in all the visible ways you see it every day, but it is also used in behind-the-scenes applications that are just as important. 

To learn more about aluminium recycling, contact a company in your area like Sydney Metal Traders.