LME primary
Global ingotQuoted daily; not the same as extrusion billet.
Darker cells mean a higher score for this topic on that metric.
Strength62
Heat resistance48
Fire performance70
Insulation12
Workability90
Circularity72
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Last reviewed Sources & creditsMedia creditsMethodology
Quick answers
Aluminium or aluminum?
Same metal. IUPAC aluminium; US spelling aluminum. Specs use either.
Why is it light but not “weak”?
Specific strength of 7075 can beat mild steel; stiffness per volume still loses to steel.
Does it burn?
Bulk metal melts in fire; powders and some façade cores are the combustible stories.
Is it a good insulator?
No. It is a heat spreader. Foil radiant barriers reflect radiation; they are not bulk λ insulation.
Why do cans recycle so well?
Single alloy family, magnetic-free sort, huge volume, remelt energy is low.
Can I weld 7075?
Generally a bad idea for strength; designers rivet, bond or use 2000/5000 weldables instead.
heat 48 · fire 70
Prices are bands. A 2024 coil is not a 2026 contract. Labour and certification often dwarf the commodity.
Producers listed are landmarks for orientation, not a ranking or a procurement list.
Cost bands
UBC scrap
Recycling creditOften the cheapest “new” metal in can sheet.
6063 extrusion
ArchitectureDie cost amortised over metres of profile.
Aero plate
PremiumTight residual stress and ultrasonic inspection.
Foundry secondary
Cast alloysHigh-Si remelt with different specs.
Regions
China
Largest primary and semi-fabricated volumes.
Gulf
Gas-powered smelters, export billets.
Nordics / Canada
Hydro-powered primary with lower grid carbon.
Europe
Recycling-heavy, high energy prices, specialty.
US
Can sheet, auto, remaining primary.
Australia / Guinea
Bauxite supply, not always smelting.
Key numbers
~1/3 — the whole point of switchingDensity vs steel
Order-of-magnitude less than primary smeltCan recycled energy
660 °CMelting
Second only to copper among cheap conductorsConductivity
Producers
Chalco
Chinese primary and alumina.
Rio Tinto Aluminium
Pacific and Canada hydro smelters.
Alcoa
US-rooted, global primary and products.
Rusal
Siberian hydro smelting.
Norsk Hydro
Extrusion and recycling in Europe.
Novelis
The can-sheet and auto-sheet recycler to watch.
Ask for the route (primary, scrap, bio) before believing a green label.
Keep exploring
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