Where Aluminum comes from: The earth has abundant bauxite and other Aluminum bearing minerals. The Earth's crust is 8.3% Aluminum. Of all the metals, Aluminum is the worlds most abundant. Aluminum (Br. aluminium) is a silvery white, ductile member of the boron group of elements. The chemical symbol is Al and atomic number is 13.

Conductivity: Aluminum is ideal as a lightweight conductor of electrical current as it has 50% more conductivity then common brass (C36000 free machining leaded type). The weight of Aluminum is only one third that of copper or brass. While aluminum has only 40-50% the conductivity of pure copper, its one third weight advantage gives Aluminum a 150% to 200% advantage on current conducted per unit conductor weight. Aluminum lugs are the lightest and and most economical way to terminate power wires.

The cost of Aluminum is about one third that of copper per unit weight and with all factors considered Aluminum is by far the lowest cost per amp conducted and the lightest weight of metal to support when carrying the load.

Copper on the other hand is getting more scarce by the year and more expensive and volatile as demand exceeds supply. Global sources of Copper are few and speculation makes Copper metal particularly uncertain in the futures market.

Corrosion resistance: In spite of its highly reactive nature which prevents Aluminum in its metal form from occurring naturally, Aluminum is remarkable for its ability to resist corrosion due to the phenomenon of passivation. Aluminum forms a thin oxide layer in air, substantially preventing corrosion. Treatments for aluminum such a anodizing and tin plating further increase resistance to corrosion or galvanic activity with other metals. Tin plated aluminum lugs are best used in dry applications to avoid multi metal galvanic corrosion. However aluminum can be used in wet environments if protected by "polymer boots" and moisture excluding "greases". For non conducting applications anodizing is very effective and some specialty anodized coatings are suitable for conducting higher voltages such as lighting protection straps contact areas.

Growing uses: Structural components made from Aluminum and its alloys are important to the aerospace industry and increasingly in other areas of transportation where lighter weight for proven performance saves fuel and increases payloads.

Is aluminum green? While aluminum takes quite a lot of energy to make (about 1/3 more energy than making copper) it can be made with hydroelectric power and other renewable sources which reduces its carbon footprint. When made using fossil fuels and not hydroelectric, the CO2 is higher the first time that aluminum is made. After that aluminum is one of the most efficiently recycled metals on earth. The costs of remelting aluminum are low meaning that only 20% of the original energy to make aluminum is required each time it made into a new product. This also saves 95% of the CO2 originally used to make it if fossil fuels were used.. Aluminum has a low melting point and is easily formed either cold or at low temperatures, saving considerable energy each time is is made into a new product. There is no limit to the number of times that aluminum can be recycled.
Aluminum cans are recycled very successfully even though they weigh little and are bulky. Larger masses of aluminum such as that connectors, lugs, bus bars, car components and airplanes are certainly recycled very efficiently, saving CO2 and energy each time it occurs compared to high melting point metals like copper.

So in the long haul aluminum is green lowering the estimated carbon foot print over time to less than half that of copper. So aluminum wins on cost, performance, versatility and in the end saves energy and CO2. The reduction of weight in all manufactured goods, whether mobile or stationary, saves supporting structural weight, materials and energy.
Buy aluminum lugs, save money, and be green !