Non-ferrous metal

In metallurgy, non-ferrous metals are metals or alloys that do not contain iron (allotropes of iron, ferrite, and so on) in appreciable amounts.

Generally more costly than ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals are used because of desirable properties such as low weight (e.g. aluminium), higher conductivity (e.g. copper),[1] non-magnetic properties or resistance to corrosion (e.g. zinc).[2] Some non-ferrous materials are also used in the iron and steel industries. For example, bauxite is used as flux for blast furnaces, while others such as wolframite, pyrolusite, and chromite are used in making ferrous alloys.[3]

Important non-ferrous metals include aluminium, copper, lead, tin, titanium, and zinc, and alloys such as brass. Precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum and exotic or rare metals such as mercury, tungsten, beryllium, bismuth, cerium, cadmium, niobium, indium, gallium, germanium, lithium, selenium, tantalum, tellurium, vanadium, and zirconium are also non-ferrous.[4] They are usually obtained through minerals such as sulfides, carbonates, and silicates.[5] Non-ferrous metals are usually refined through electrolysis.[6]

  1. ^ Fahlman, Bradley D. (18 March 2011). Materials chemistry (2nd ed.). Dordrecht [u.a.]: Springer. ISBN 978-94-007-0692-7.
  2. ^ "Non-Ferrous Metals". Engineers Handbook. Archived from the original on 4 June 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  3. ^ Gupta, R. C. (2010). Theory and laboratory experiments in ferrous metallurgy. New Delhi: PHI Learning Private Ltd. p. 6. ISBN 978-81-203-3924-8.
  4. ^ "Commonly Recycled Metals and Their Sources" (PDF). lOccupational Safety and Health Administration. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
  5. ^ Young, Courtney A., ed. (2008). Hydrometallurgy 2008 : proceedings of the sixth international symposium (1st ed.). Littleton, Colo.: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. p. 416. ISBN 978-0-87335-266-6.
  6. ^ "Chapter 82 – Metal Processing and Metal Working Industry". Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety, 4th Edition. Retrieved 26 October 2011.

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