Editing Aluminum

{{metal
|allomancy=Remove Allomantic metal reserves
|type-a=Internal, Pulling, Enhancement
|misting=Aluminum Gnat
|feruchemy=Store [[Identity]]
|type-f=Spiritual
|ferring=Trueself
|hemalurgy=Remove all powers
|type-h=Spiritual
|properties=[[Investiture]]-inert
|'world=[[Scadrial]], [[Roshar]], [[Sel]]
|books=[[Mistborn (series)|Mistborn]], [[The Stormlight Archive]], [[The Emperor's Soul]]
}}
{{spoilers|mb7}}
{{update|sa4|mb7}}
'''Aluminum''' is the internal enhancement pulling metal.  An [[Allomancy|Allomancer]] burning aluminum will make all of their metal reserves vanish.{{book ref|mb2|5}}  [[Feruchemist]]s can use aluminum to store [[Identity]], and when used as a [[Hemalurgic]] spike, aluminum removes all powers. It is known as '''Ralkalest''' or '''the unForgeable metal''' in the [[Rose Empire]] on [[Sel]]{{wob ref|6364}} as well as among [[singers]].{{book ref|sa4|37}}

Aluminum metal (and some of its alloys) are "Allomantically inert" -- they cannot be [[steel|Pushed]] or [[iron|Pulled]], and can shield people from emotional Allomancy.{{book ref|mb4|part=ars}}{{wob ref|15745}} Aluminum generates no [[atium|atium shadows]]{{wob ref|6870}} and can create dead zones within [[cadmium#Allomantic use|cadmium]] and [[bendalloy#Allomantic Use|bendalloy]] bubbles, where the shielded area is not included within the time bubble.{{wob ref|4297}} It also interferes with [[Gold#Feruchemical Use|Feruchemical healing]], by making it impossible for wounds to heal around the aluminum until it is removed from the body. There is a similar effect on [[Pewter#Allomantic Use|pewter Allomancy]].{{wob ref|6365}}

Aluminum has been confirmed to have strange effects to all magic systems, is magically inert, and will act as an [[Investiture]] sink.{{wob ref|7942}}

A significant percentage of the aluminum in the [[Elendel Basin|Basin]] is produced by the [[Ghostbloods]]. [[Dean]], the Scadrian branch's chemist, believes that the Scadrians would one day discover how to create it via electrolysis, and that the value would plummet to being cheaper than [[Tin]]. The Ghostbloods have been using their aluminum to fund their operations for the past two decades.{{book ref|mb7|40}} 

== Allomantic Use ==
An aluminum [[Misting]] is known as an '''Aluminum Gnat'''.  Burning aluminum causes the body to instantly metabolize its metal reserves—including the aluminum itself—without any other effect.{{wob ref|2461}} As such, an Aluminum Gnat gains no useable powers from their Allomancy,{{book ref|mb4|part=ars}} however, it can be used to negate effects of other Investiture, such as the withering effect of [[Shade]]s on [[Threnody]].{{wob ref|6374}} Only Allomantically relevant metals can be burned away.{{wob ref|12563}} Allomancy does not affect aluminum even though the metal itself is Allomantically viable.{{book ref|mb1|36}}

Because aluminum can shield against emotional Allomancy, those who can afford to often wear hats with an aluminum lining.{{book ref|mb5|1}} It can also be used to block [[bronze#Allomantic Use|Allomantic bronze]].{{wob ref|8897}}

=== Savantism ===
If someone were able to burn the amount of aluminum needed to become an Allomantic [[savant]] with the metal, it may be possible to cleanse their spirit of unwanted effects of Investiture.{{wob ref|1247}}

== Feruchemical Use ==
An aluminum [[Ferring]] is known as a '''Trueself'''.  Aluminum is used to store "spiritual sense of [[Identity]]."  This ability is not fully understood, and is rarely discussed outside of Terris communities.{{book ref|mb4|part=ars}} A Trueself who fills an aluminummind to the point where they have no Identity and then fills another metalmind is able to produce a metalmind that any Feruchemist with the relevant power can tap. In a similar manner, a Feruchemist may be able to tap another person's metalminds by filling their own aluminummind completely.{{book ref|mb6|3}} Trueselfs can heal damage done to them in the [[Cognitive Realm]] by storing Identity, but it takes a roundabout method.{{wob ref|7836}} Storing Identity makes the Feruchemist more susceptible to many things, such as [[Forgery]].{{wob ref|3547}}

It is unclear why Identity can be stored in and withdrawn from an aluminummind when other Invested Arts cannot affect aluminum.

== Hemalurgic Use ==
When used as a Hemalurgic spike, aluminum removes all powers,{{file ref|Hemalurgy table.jpg|Hemalurgy Table}} such as Allomancy or [[sand mastery]].{{wob ref|14896}}

It is possible that encasing Hemalurgic spikes in aluminum may prevent Hemalurgic decay.{{wob ref|5060}}

== Weaponry ==
On Scadrial, guns and bullets made from aluminum are highly effective (albeit expensive) because they cannot be [[steel|Pushed]], [[iron|Pulled]], or even detected using the sight granted by steel or iron Allomancy. Aluminum bullets are actually composed of an Allomantically inert alloy of aluminum since the ballistics of a pure aluminum bullet would not work.{{book ref|mb4|7}}

== Around the Cosmere ==
While aluminum doesn't always directly negate all magic systems, it does have very weird, interesting effects in all places.{{wob ref|11798}} A person having aluminum in their body would interfere with many magic systems in some way.{{wob ref|11937}}

=== Shards ===
Wearing aluminum can help a person resist the influence of a [[Shard]].{{wob ref|14926}}

=== Perpendicularities ===
Aluminum can be used to take liquid from a [[Perpendicularity]], and it will stay Invested.{{wob ref|9233}}

=== Final Empire ===
The [[Lord Ruler]] kept aluminum and its alloy [[duralumin]] from public knowledge to give the [[Inquisitors]] an advantage.{{wob ref|8037}} During his rule, aluminum was harvested from the [[Ashmounts]].{{book ref|mb6|3}}

=== Forgery ===
Known as ralkalest in the [[Rose Empire]], aluminum cannot be altered at all via [[Forgery]].{{tes ref|2}}

The cells for Forgers in the [[Rose Palace]] have ralkalest grates in their ceilings for entrance and a thin plate of ralkalest behind the stone walls.{{tes ref|2}}

=== Nalthis ===
Aluminum cannot be [[Awakening|Awakened]]. It is possible for aluminum to prevent someone from [[Returned|Returning]], but not simply by stabbing the body: aluminum is inert and blocks Investiture, but does not actively absorb it.{{wob ref|6364}} Aluminum can also block an Awakener's life sense.{{wob ref|8897}}

[[Nightblood]]'s sheath is made of aluminum.{{wob ref|8162}} On Roshar, a [[Fused]] uses Nightblood's sheath to block an attack from [[Szeth]], who was wielding Nightblood.

=== Roshar ===
{{quote
|There are legends of metal that can block a Shardblade. A metal that falls from the sky. Silver, but somehow lighter.
|Taravangian on aluminum{{book ref|sa3|100}}
}}
Items may be able to be [[Soulcasting|Soulcast]] into aluminum.{{wob ref|7942}} However, aluminum resists attempts to Soulcast it into other [[Ten Essences|Essences]].{{wob ref|8306}} [[Shardblade]]s are unable to cut aluminum through magical means but would be able to cut it physically, like a conventional blade, if the aluminum were thin enough.{{wob ref|1442}}{{epigraph ref|sa4|17}} Aluminum can block [[spanreed]] communication, and can prevent Soulcasting from being detected by others.{{book ref|sa3|81}} Aluminum cannot be affected by the [[Surge]]s [[Adhesion]] or [[Gravitation]].{{wob ref|8423}} It interferes with most Radiant powers.{{epigraph ref|sa4|17}}

Highmarshal Azure was given metal sheets by [[Wit]] during her time in Kholinar that were possibly aluminum. When lining a room, they allowed for the use of Soulcasting [[fabrial]]s without detection by the [[Voidspren]].{{book ref|sa3|81}}

The Unkalaki people are able to obtain aluminum by trading with the spren world, and are aware that it has an effect on spren.{{book ref|sa3.5|7}}

During the expedition to Aimia, [[Rushu]] is tasked by [[Navani]] to experiment with aluminum and discover the details of its impact on fabrials. She first notes that the thickness of the metal may impact its effect on fabrial operation (e.g. block vs modify).{{book ref|sa3.5|7}} After tinkering with a spanreed and aluminum foil, [[Huio]] theorizes that the spren react to aluminum "almost like prey react to a predator" and that it interferes with the spren's ability to sense thoughts.{{book ref|sa3.5|7}} [[Rushu]] further theorizes that each axis of motion and rotation could be blocked separately by proper application of aluminum. It is likely that other types of fabrials (i.e. heating fabrials) could be modified similarly.

This experimentation accidentally resulted in a series of modified fabrials in which the mechanism contained bits of aluminum foil that blocked certain functions, but not all. Among these were a spanreed that transferred lateral motion, but not vertical; a lift to permit [[Rysn]] to move between decks of the ''[[Wandersail (1174 ship)|Wandersail]]'' and a number of "wheelchair" fabrials which levitated and permitted [[Rysn]] to maneuver while seated using a partially aluminum-blocked counterweight.{{book ref|sa3.5|9}} These are particularly useful due to a known drawback of motion-transferring fabrials caused by a moving frame of reference (e.g. a moving ship at sea communicating by spanreed to shore).

The Knights Radiant once lined tunnels deep beneath [[Urithiru]] with Ralkalest, likely to protect against intrusion into the tunnels from the foothills below via Surgebinding. It is unknown whether the term Ralkalest is of Selish origin alone, or if Raboniel learned of it from another source.{{book ref|sa4|37}}

== Trivia ==
* Brandon thought of having [[Vin]] burn [[silver]] rather than aluminum when captured in [[Kredik Shaw]] but decided that aluminum would be less abundant.{{wob ref|7983}}
* Brandon chose aluminum for the role it serves because it is rare pre-industrial age, then becomes incredibly common, providing a way for technology to counter Allomancy.{{wob ref|9281}}

== Notes ==
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{{Cosmere}}
[[es:Aluminio]]