A chemical-mechanical planarization composition containing surface-modified abrasive particles such as silica where at least a portion of the surface of the particles has bound thereto a surface-modifying aluminum-containing stabilizer and fluoride that is used to polish semiconductor substrates. The use of a CMP slurry containing surface-modifying aluminum-containing stabilizer and fluoride bound to a silica abrasive provides high metal polishing rates relative to the removal rate of a dielectric.