Have you ever wondered how aluminium is made?

Have you ever wondered how aluminium is made? Let’s imagine it’s like turning a big, tough lollipop into something soft and chewy.

Aluminium starts life as a rock, called bauxite. It's not pretty, it's more like the dirt you find in your sandbox. But inside that boring rock is a special ingredient we want: alumina. To get it out, we give the rock a really hot bath, like putting it in an oven that’s hotter than any pizza.

Once we have the alumina, we put it into a big pot full of molten metal, kind of like a super hot soup. Then we add some electricity, and poof! The aluminium starts to bubble up, like fizzy soda coming out of a bottle. We catch that bubbling liquid in big trays and let it cool down. Soon, it turns into shiny flat sheets or bars, the kind you see in drinks cans or airplane wings.

And there you have it: from dirt to something super strong and light!