Industrial types of aluminum deposits.

Aluminum is one of the most readily accepted non-ferrous metals for scrap. It is light and at the same time dense, has an attractive appearance, a noble silver color, has plasticity and is perfect for recycling.

There are many types of aluminum scrap found around us. There is a multi-level classification of accepted raw materials, dividing various products in terms of origin and composition. It is enshrined in GOST 1639-2009.

What kind of aluminum is accepted

• electrical scrap – pure aluminum cable used in electrical engineering;
• food grade aluminum contained in cans, pots, pans, spoons and other kitchen utensils;
• window and door profiles, which also includes a profile with a thermal insert;
• motor scrap includes housings of various engines;
• aircraft aluminum, consisting of parts of the skin, frames, and individual aircraft parts;
• aluminium foil;
• production waste in the form of all kinds of shavings;
• cable products in insulation and braid;
• metallurgical slags.

Do-it-yourself aluminum production: everything ingenious is simple!

A popular way to make money selling scrap metal is to cast aluminum yourself, which can be done even at home - for production you will need:

• Electric current source 220 Volts at 1.5 kW;
• Hydrochloric acid or graphite;
• Metal barrel or concrete mixer;
• Clay or bauxite.

The clay brought from the quarry will have to be dried in the sun or using a fan heater, after which the raw material will be crushed to a powdery consistency. Next, we put the material in a container and mix it with graphite or hydrochloric acid at the rate of 1 kg of electrolytes per 10 kg of raw materials - this is necessary to stabilize the chemical processes during melting.

Next, fill the barrel of raw materials with water to increase the humidity of the components to 60-70%, after which we connect the welding machine for 5-15 s to form aluminum. After 3-4 hours after cooling, the resulting pieces of aluminum need to be cleaned of clay. From 500 kg of raw materials, approximately 150-200 kg of aluminum alloy are obtained.

This is interesting! Aluminum is a highly reactive metal, as a result of which it is easily oxidized with alkaline or acidic compounds. With prolonged contact, aluminum even interacts with the atmosphere, becoming covered with a thin oxide film - which is why this metal is not found in its pure form.

• Non-ferrous metals
• Copper
• Brass
• Aluminum
• Lead
• battery
• Scrap electric motors
• Black metals
• Stainless steel
• Scrap steel
• Cast iron
• 3A size

Differences of Aluminum Scrap

• unalloyed pure aluminum;
• with low or high copper content;
• with zinc, which is found in duralumin aircraft elements (blades, landing gear, casing parts, supporting structures), sheets, tape, wire;
• with magnesium – depreciation scrap metal found in parts of welded tanks, pipelines, elements and parts of transport, ship equipment, drilling rigs, rejected parts of television towers;
• foundry waste found in defective castings;
• piston silicon-containing metal;
• machining waste, which can be found in nickel-containing shavings;
• slag, foam, scale;
• foil;
• braided cable trims;
• briquetted food cans, etc.

Beneficial features

This element of the periodic table belongs to the category of compounds that play a primary role in the human body.

Aluminum Features:

1. Regulates and accelerates cell regeneration, thereby prolonging health and youth.
2. Participates in the formation of cartilage, ligaments, skeleton, muscle, bone and connective tissue, promotes epithelization of the skin.
3. Increases the activity of digestive enzymes and the digestive ability of gastric juice.
4. Needed for the production and improvement of the body's perception of phosphate and protein complexes.
5. Activates the thyroid gland.
6. Strengthens bone tissue.

In addition, aluminum is contained in biomolecules, creating a strong bond with nitrogen and oxygen atoms. The microelement is indicated for people with bone fractures and people suffering from acute, chronic hyperacid gastritis, gastric ulcers, and osteoporosis.

Let's go in search of aluminum

Experienced metal detectors not only know where to find aluminum, but also understand the intricacies listed above. This information is not necessary for beginners - collection points that value their reputation have everything they need to determine both the weight and quality of the metal. Over time, you will learn everything, but for starters, it will be enough to distinguish aluminum by appearance and the forms in which it is presented in everyday life:

• dishes,
• profile,
• cable,
• engine housings,
• battery plates,
• door handles,
• agricultural and sports equipment,
• beer and soda cans,
• foil,
• shavings.

Some tips

1. Combine aluminum mining and extraction with some other metal, such as copper. For example, disassembling an electric motor will bring double benefits - both the housing and the winding will be used.
2. Before you go searching, stock up on the necessary tools: a grinder or gas cutter, pliers, screwdriver, wrenches, scales to understand how much you have found and how much you can expect.
3. Remember about safety - this applies to clothing, handling tools, and compliance with laws.

Aluminum mining sites in Russia

In the world ranking in terms of aluminum ore production, Russia ranks seventh. About 50 deposits have been explored throughout the territory, among which there are still undeveloped deposits. The richest ore reserves are concentrated in the Leningrad region and the Urals, where one of the deepest “aluminum” mines operates. The depth of the latter reaches 1550 meters.

Despite the widely developed non-ferrous metallurgy, and the production of aluminum in particular, the resulting volume is not enough to supply the industry of the entire country. Therefore, Russia is forced to import alumina from other countries. This need is also due to the lower quality of ore. One of the most profitable deposits in the Urals produces bauxite with a 50% alumina content. In Italy, a rock is mined that contains 64% aluminum oxides.

To obtain 1 ton of aluminum

About 80% of the total mass of aluminum ore in Russia is mined in closed mines. Quite a lot of deposits are located in the Belgorod, Arkhangelsk, Sverdlovsk regions, as well as the Komi Republic. In addition to bauxite, nepheline ores are also mined. The profitability of this type of metal production is less, but still the result partly compensates for the country's shortage of raw materials.

A special place in the aluminum industry is occupied by the production of metal from recycled materials. This method significantly saves energy and ore resources, and reduces the level of harm caused to the environment. Here Russia lags somewhat behind other countries, but the performance of most domestic enterprises is improving noticeably every year.

How is aluminum recycled?

For each of the listed types of aluminum recyclables, procurement centers set different prices. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with our prices for non-ferrous scrap metal.

However, it is not enough to know the chemical composition. From the point of view of its processing technology, the class of recyclable materials is also taken into account:

• lump (marked with the letter A);
• shavings (letter B);
• other raw materials (letter G).

Scrap metal collection points receive aluminum, sort it, clean it, shred it if necessary, then store it, package it and deliver it to the melting site.

Aluminum mining methods

Aluminum is a relatively young metal, first mined just over a century ago. Throughout time, aluminum mining technology has been constantly improved, taking into account all chemical and physical properties.

The production of metal is possible only from alumina, for the formation of which the ore is crushed to a powder state and heated with steam. This way it is possible to get rid of most of the silicon and leave the optimal raw material for subsequent smelting.

Aluminum ore is mined using an open-pit method if its occurrence is shallow. Bauxite and nepheline, due to their dense structure, are usually cut using a surface miner using a milling method. Alunites are a type of loose rock, which is why a quarry excavator is optimal for removing it. The latter immediately loads the rock onto dump trucks for further transportation.

After the extraction of primary raw materials, several mandatory stages of rock processing follow in order to obtain alumina:

1. Transportation to the preparatory workshop, where crushing equipment crushes the rock to a fraction of about 110 mm.
2. The prepared raw materials, along with additional components, are sent for further processing.
3. The rock is sintered in furnaces. If necessary, the aluminum ore is leached. This produces a liquid aluminate solution.
4. The next stage is decomposition. As a result, an aluminate pulp is formed, which is sent for separation and evaporation of the liquid.
5. Cleaning from excess alkalis and oven calcination.

The result is dry alumina, ready for aluminum production. The final stage is hydrolysis treatment. In addition to the method described above, aluminum is also mined using the mine method. This is how the rock is cut out from the layers of the earth.

Search for copper

Copper is considered one of the most expensive metals; you can get up to 300 rubles kilogram Therefore, people who specialize in finding scrap metal strive to find as much copper scrap as possible.

To extract copper, it is not enough to find a Soviet refrigerator and sell it entirely. It is important to separate all parts containing copper. For example, in an old tube TV it is located in the transformer and wires. In a refrigerator, valuable metal is contained in the compressor (more than a kilogram).

Where else can you find copper for scrap metal?

Old electric motors contain copper windings, and burnt-out fluorescent lamps contain copper fittings weighing up to 200-300 grams. Considering that many enterprises periodically throw away such lamps in large quantities, you can get a good income.

Where can you find aluminum?

Aluminum is one of the most readily accepted non-ferrous metals for scrap. It is light and at the same time dense, has an attractive appearance, a noble silver color, has plasticity and is perfect for recycling.

At work and at home, each of us constantly encounters objects made from it, but those who are going to get serious about selling aluminum need, of course, more.

• City landfills. Here you can easily find dishes, cables, profiles, and household appliances.
• Abandoned villages and outskirts of villages. In abandoned estates you can sometimes find a real warehouse of aluminum items, and in ravines, gullies and along roads, spontaneous dumps with tin and beer cans, pots, kettles, cans, buckets and other utensils are found.
• The territories of former factories, factories, and livestock farms will bring a big jackpot, especially if other seekers have not yet visited them. Door and window profiles, equipment, wiring elements, furniture and dishes can be found in destroyed schools, kindergartens, and canteens.
• Fields. The main object of attention here is failed agricultural machinery and spare parts: pistons, engine housings, radiators, batteries, etc.
• Repair stations and their surroundings delight with the same finds.
• Meadows and plantings near transformers and power lines often contain discarded pieces or entire coils of wires.
• Landfills with waste from metallurgical enterprises.

Natural sources of aluminum

The trace element is predominantly found in plant foods and baked goods, due to the latter being baked in aluminum pans. In addition, dyes, food additives under the sign E520-523, yeast, and canned food regularly supply humans with this compound. Every year the metal content in ready-made “store-bought” products is rapidly increasing.

Meat, fish, dairy products, eggs are 50–100 times poorer in this microelement than vegetables, fruits, and berries.
Table No. 1 “Sources of aluminum”

When consuming foods rich in aluminum, remember that the microelement slows down the absorption of ascorbic acid, pyridoxine, iron, magnesium, calcium, vitamin C and sulfur-containing amino acids. Therefore, it is recommended not to combine these compounds or to increase your mineral intake.

conclusions

The collection of scrap non-ferrous metals is gaining popularity, because metal recyclables have been valued at all times. According to people who have been collecting for several years, such an activity is addictive and captivating , and digging for non-ferrous metals becomes an original hobby for many.

maximize the benefits from digging and delivering scrap non-ferrous metals , you need appropriate equipment (metal detector, magnet) and knowledge of the properties of non-ferrous metal, plus the desire and desire to earn money.

Source

Preparing scrap for delivery

Before delivery to scrap metal collection points, it is necessary to prepare and sort the collected non-ferrous scrap metal.
If this is not done, the price of collected recyclables at any collection point will decrease due to the presence of contamination, litter and basic ignorance of the difference in price for different types of non-ferrous metal.

You can earn more money for prepared and sorted scrap.

• sorting , during which the scrap is separated depending on the material (zinc, copper, aluminum), it is convenient to put the scrap into containers;
• cleaning from pollution is necessary, the price at collection points depends on this - the higher the percentage of garbage, the less revenue a person will receive;
• scrap analysis , dismantling - scrap metal is cut into pieces for ease of removal; a cutter or grinder is suitable for cutting;
• cleaning from non-metallic elements - many products and equipment made of non-ferrous metals contain wooden, glass, and plastic parts; they must be removed before delivery; this indicator affects the cost of scrap;
• cleaning of insulation may be necessary for wires made of copper and aluminum; Removal of insulation is often done by firing. But it is better to find out in advance from the receptionists whether it is worth cleaning. It may turn out that the price will be lower.

After preparing the scrap, there are a couple of options:

1. hand over the accumulated batch,
2. continue to collect until a more impressive volume.

Which option is preferable - everyone chooses for themselves. If the room where the scrap is stored is small, it is better to rent it out as it arrives.

World production of aluminum ores

Aluminum ore was first mined in the first half of the 19th century in the southeast of France, near the town of Box. This is where the name bauxite comes from. At first, this industry developed at a slow pace. But when humanity appreciated which aluminum ore was useful for production, the scope of aluminum application expanded significantly. Many countries have begun searching for deposits on their territories. Thus, the world production of aluminum ores began to gradually increase. The numbers confirm this fact. Thus, if in 1913 the global volume of ore mined was 540 thousand tons, then in 2014 it was more than 180 million tons.

The number of countries mining aluminum ore also gradually increased. Today there are about 30 of them. But over the past 100 years, leading countries and regions have constantly changed. Thus, at the beginning of the 20th century, the world leaders in the extraction of aluminum ore and its production were North America and Western Europe. These two regions accounted for about 98% of global production. Several decades later, in terms of quantitative indicators of the aluminum industry, the countries of Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Soviet Union became the leaders. And already in the 1950s–1960s, Latin America became the leader in terms of production. And in the 1980–1990s. There was a rapid breakthrough in the aluminum industry in Australia and Africa. In the current global trend, the main leading countries in aluminum production are Australia, Brazil, China, Guinea, Jamaica, India, Russia, Suriname, Venezuela and Greece.

Alunite ores

This type of deposit contains up to 40% aluminum oxide. Alunite ore is formed in water basins and coastal zones under conditions of intense hydrothermal and volcanic activity. An example of such deposits is Lake Zaglinskoye in the Lesser Caucasus.

The rock is porous. Mainly consists of kaolinites and hydromicas. Ore with an alunite content of more than 50% is of industrial interest.