Aluminum is not considered a renewable resource. It is a metal that is extracted from bauxite ore through a process called refining. This process is energy-intensive and involves significant environmental impacts.
The key reason aluminum is not renewable is due to the fact that once it is extracted and used, it does not naturally replenish in a human time scale. In nature, aluminum may exist in various minerals, but the specific bauxite deposits that are mined take millions of years to form, making them a non-renewable resource.
However, aluminum is highly recyclable, which allows us to recover and reuse it effectively. Recycling aluminum uses only about 5% of the energy needed to produce new aluminum from bauxite, which can significantly reduce the environmental impact. This recycling process is where the concept of sustainability comes into play, as it helps mitigate the depletion of natural aluminum resources.