How good would Aluminum armor be?

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Production of aluminum without electrolysis requires a stronger reducing agent than aluminum, and there are no alkali or alkaline earth metals that occur naturally (carbon can pull oxygen off of iron, but not off of aluminum).

Aluminum has an oxidation number of 3, there are stronger oxidizers (the Group IVA-VIIA metals). Are you saying that they don't occur naturally in any form that would be useable for this? I'm assuming that's the case, or I really don't understand oxidation-reduction (and I really thought I did).