The first few particles of aluminium were produced only ca. 170 years ago and the commercial production started 50 years later with the development of the Hall-Heroult process. This reduced dramatically the unit cost and brought aluminium within the reach of the general populace.
Considered a jewellery-grade metal in Napoleonian times, aluminium soon became a household word. With the advent of the aeroplane, it's lightness and strength-to-weight ratio made it ideal for production of motors and structural elements. Today, aluminium is the ideal material for all forms of aerial and space transport and its extensive use in construction and manufacturing of cars and trucks, make it clearly the wonder metal of the century.