How Do We Get Aluminum Cans? | Aussie Recycling

Infographic explaining how aluminium cans are made from rock and recycled

Where does the metal come from?

Aluminium begins inside rocks in the ground. People dig up the rock, then large factories turn it into a shiny metal that can be shaped and used.

How does it become a can?

The metal is rolled into thin sheets, cut into the right shape, and turned into cans by machines. After that, the cans can be filled with juice, water, or soft drink and sent to shops.

Why should we recycle it?

If we recycle cans, that same metal can be used again instead of wasting it. This saves energy and helps us make fewer trips to take new material from the Earth.

Think and share

What part of the can journey uses the most machines?
Why is it smarter to reuse metal than to throw it away after one drink?
Can you name three drinks that might come in cans?

Quick Quiz

1. Where does aluminium begin?

Answer: In rocks in the ground.

2. What happens before the cans are filled with drinks?

Answer: The metal is rolled into sheets and shaped into cans by machines.

3. Why is recycling cans a smart choice?

Answer: It saves metal, saves energy, and means we need less new material from the Earth.