Is aluminum a mineral?

Aluminum is not a mineral. Aluminum is a chemical element with the atomic number 13. It makes up eight percent of the weight of Earth's solid surface and is the third most abundant element, after oxygen and silicon, to be found in Earth's crust.

Aluminum is a highly reactive element. This explains why it is mostly found in composite minerals on Earth. For example, aluminum forms a core part of the minerals bauxite and cryolite.

The process of recycling aluminum saves energy. Most energy is used in the extraction and purification of aluminum, meaning that aluminum only needs to be melted to be reused again.