Eli5 why is aluminium not used as a material until relatively recently whilst others metals like gold, iron, bronze, tin are found throughout human history?
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The history of the chemical elements is wild. There were seven metals known to the ancients. The Latin names for them are where we get their atomic symbols. Aurum (gold), hence “Au”. Argentum (silver), getting “Ag” (another element got “Ar”). Cuprum (copper), hence “Cu”. Plumbum (lead), hence “Pb”. Stannum (tin), hence “Sn”. Hydrargyrum (mercury), hence “Hg”. Ferrum (iron), getting “Fe”.
The next element isolated and named was in the 1700s, and they came fast after that.
But they knew about compounds and extractions, isolates, and distillates thereof. As was mentioned, alum has been known and used since ancient times. The extract of alum used to get the metal in question is alumina. Electricity then isolates aluminum. Prior to easy production of electricity, artisans had to rely on chemical batteries and electrolysis (like the penny experiments one might have done in middle-school science classes).
In addition to the other examples given of how prized it was for its value and rarity early on, the Buckingham Palace Guards’ uniform buttons are aluminum, for the same reason as the other things — most precious metal in the Empire.
Which reminds me… Platinum was thought by the Spanish conquistadors to be “unripe gold” and was dumped overboard by the ton as worthless. I’m curious how much is still lying at the bottom of the Atlantic between the Caribbean and the Azores…
EDIT to fix spelling.
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