I-Aluminium (Al) iyingxenye yensimbi eningi kakhulu oqweqweni lomhlaba. Ihlanganiswe nomoya-mpilo ne-hydrogen, yakha i-bauxite, okuyi-aluminium evame ukusetshenziswa kakhulu ezimayini zensimbi. Ukuhlukaniswa kokuqala kwe-aluminium chloride ku-aluminium yensimbi kwakungo-1829, kodwa ukukhiqizwa kwezentengiselwano akuzange kuqale kuze kube ngu-1886. I-Aluminium iyinsimbi emhlophe, eqinile, engasindi ene-gravity ethize ye-2.7. Iwukhondatha omuhle kagesi futhi imelana nokugqwala. Ngenxa yalezi zici, isibe insimbi ebalulekile.Ingxube ye-aluminiuminamandla okubopha kalula ngakho-ke isetshenziswa ezimbonini ezihlukene.

 
Ukukhiqizwa kwe-alumina kudla u-90% wokukhiqizwa kwe-bauxite emhlabeni. Ezinye zisetshenziswa ezimbonini ezinjengama-abrasives, ama-refractory materials, namakhemikhali. I-Bauxite iphinde isetshenziswe ekukhiqizeni usimende we-alumina ephezulu, njenge-ejenti yokugcina amanzi noma njenge-catalyst embonini ye-petroleum yokuhlanganisa izinduku zokushisela kanye nama-fluxes, nanjenge-flux yokwenza insimbi nama-ferroalloys.

Ukusetshenziswa kwe-aluminium kuhlanganisa izinto zikagesi, izimoto, imikhumbi, ukukhiqizwa kwezindiza, izinqubo ze-metallurgical kanye namakhemikhali, ukwakhiwa kwasekhaya nezimboni, ukupakisha (i-aluminium foil, amathini), izitsha zasekhishini (tableware, amabhodwe).

 
Imboni ye-aluminium isiqale ukuthuthukiswa kobuchwepheshe bokusebenzisa kabusha izinto ezinokuqukethwe kwe-aluminium futhi yasungula isikhungo sayo sokuqoqa. Esinye sezikhuthazo eziyinhloko zale mboni bekulokhu kuncishiswa kokusetshenziswa kwamandla, ukukhiqiza ithani elilodwa le-aluminium ngaphezu kwethani elilodwa le-aluminium eyinhloko. Lokhu kubandakanya ukwethula uketshezi lwe-aluminiyamu engama-95% olusuka ku-bauxite ukonga amandla. Ithani ngalinye le-aluminium egaywe kabusha liphinde lisho ukonga amathani ayisikhombisa e-bauxite. E-Australia, i-10% yokukhiqizwa kwe-aluminium ivela ezintweni ezigaywe kabusha.