Casting

The molten aluminium from the smelting is either cast into ingots for sale as pure aluminium or it is mixed with other metals for use as alloyed aluminium. Different alloys are used for different purposes. Aluminium used for rolling into can sheet contains elements such as magnesium, manganese, copper, silicon and iron.

In the casting of rolling ingot, molten aluminium flows from a furnace through a series of treatments to remove gas and impurities into a mould. The bottom of the mould is dropped into a pit and water jets cool the mould until the ingot has solidified. The ingots are lifted out by overhead crane, ready for transport.