I-Aluminiyam (Al) yeyona nto ininzi yentsimbi kuqweqwe loMhlaba. Idityaniswe neoksijini kunye nehydrogen, yenza i-bauxite, eyona aluminium isetyenziswa ngokuqhelekileyo kwimigodi ye-ore. Ukwahlula kokuqala kwe-aluminium chloride kwi-aluminium yensimbi kwakukho ngo-1829, kodwa ukuveliswa kwezorhwebo akuzange kuqale kude kube ngu-1886. I-aluminium yisilivere emhlophe, enzima, isinyithi esilula esine-gravity ethile ye-2.7. Yikondakta yombane elungileyo kwaye ayinyangeki kumhlwa. Ngenxa yezi mpawu, ibe yintsimbi ebalulekileyo.Ingxubevange yeAluminiyaminamandla okudibanisa ukukhanya kwaye ke ngoko isetyenziswa kwiintlobo ngeentlobo zamashishini.

 
Ukuveliswa kwe-alumina kudla i-90% yemveliso ye-bauxite yehlabathi. Eminye isetyenziswa kwimizi-mveliso efana ne-abrasives, i-refractory materials, kunye nemichiza. I-Bauxite iphinda isetyenziswe kwimveliso yesamente ephezulu ye-alumina, njenge-arhente yokugcina amanzi okanye njenge-catalyst kushishino lwepetroleum yokugquma iintonga ze-welding kunye ne-fluxes, kunye ne-flux ye-steelmaking kunye ne-ferroalloys.

Ukusetyenziswa kwe-aluminium kubandakanya izixhobo zombane, iimoto, iinqanawa, ukuveliswa kweenqwelo-moya, iinkqubo zetsimbi kunye neekhemikhali, ukwakhiwa kwasekhaya kunye nezoshishino, ukupakishwa (i-aluminium foil, iitoti), izitya zasekhitshini (i-tableware, iimbiza).

 
Ishishini le-aluminiyam liqalise uphuhliso lwetheknoloji yokuphinda isetyenziswe izinto ezinomxholo we-aluminium kwaye yaseka iziko layo lokuqokelela. Enye yezona zinto zikhuthazayo kule shishini ibisoloko ikukunciphisa ukusetyenziswa kwamandla, ukuvelisa itoni enye ye-aluminium ngaphezu kwetoni enye ye-aluminiyam yokuqala. Oku kubandakanya ukunikezela ngama-95% e-aluminiyam engamanzi ukusuka kwi-bauxite ukonga amandla. Itoni nganye yealuminiyam esetyenzisiweyo ikwathetha ukonga iitoni ezisixhenxe ze-bauxite. E-Australia, i-10% yemveliso ye-aluminium ivela kwizinto ezisetyenzisiweyo.