Aluminum
a) Estimate the total mass of aluminum thrown away in beverage cans every year in the
US.
b) New aluminum is made by electrolytic reduction of abundant Bauxite ore. Estimate the
energy required to make a single beverage can, and its cost. The California Refund value
for an aluminum can is $0.04. Is the CRV reasonable? Did you neglect important costs
or motives?
c) Beverage cans account for 25% of the US annual use of aluminum. If all cars were
constructed mainly out of aluminum instead of steel, their mass and their gasoline consumption would halve. How would the resulting US consumption of aluminum compare
to the current consumption
