Aluminium is
Aluminium is the third most abundant element in the Earth’s crust and constitutes 7.3% by mass. In nature however it only exists in very stable combinations with other materials (particularly as silicates and oxides) and it was not until 1808 that its existence was first established. It took many years of painstaking research to “unlock” the metal from its ore and many more to produce a viable, commercial production process.
Aluminium Advantages

ALUMINIUM ADVANTAGES

Aluminium is Strong and Light
Profiles can be made as strong as needed for most applications and weighs less by volume than most other metals. Aluminum is easier to handle and less expensive to ship.
Aluminium Resists Corrosion

Aluminum offers excellent corrosion resistance and can be further enhanced by anodizing or other finishing techniques.
Aluminium is an Excellent Conductor of heat and electricity
Aluminum conducts heat better than other common metals, which is ideal for applications requiring heat exchangers. It is also a good conductor of electricity.
Aluminium can be recycled
Aluminium is flexible. It can be cast, rolled or extruded into an infinite variety of shapes.
Aluminium has only been produced commercially for 146 years and is still a very young metal. Mankind has been using copper, lead and tin for thousands of years and yet today more aluminium is produced than all other non-ferrous metals combined. Annual primary production in 1999 was about 24 million tonnes and secondary – recycled – production to some 7 million tonnes. The total of some 31 million tonnes compares with 14.1 million tonnes of copper , 6.0 million tonnes of lead and 0.2 million tonnes of tin .

source: http://www.world-aluminium.org