[MikeK]

Aluminite was a trade moniker like 'Frigidare'. The name goes back to 1907 for cast pistons and rods. The alloy was the old Aluminum #12, an Alum/Silicon alloy similar to the modern day hypoeutectic 319 and 356 alloys. As a bearing material Alum/Silicon alloys are often acid etched on the contact surfaces to expose the extremely hard silicon crystal matrix within the dendrites. Mating iron or steel surfaces are typically nitrided or hard chromed.

As inserts, Aluminum alloys on steel shells are now in common use. Here are details, right from the horse's mouth: LINK Note that the surface is NOT shiny, it is matte from a final etch step. Also note in the description the "embeddability".