Non Ferrous Metals

Non-ferrous metal

In metallurgy, a non-ferrous metal is a metal which is not ferrous, includingalloys, that does not contain iron in appreciable amounts. Generally more expensive 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 property 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 forblast furnaces, while others such aswolframite, pyrolusite and chromite are used in making ferrous alloys.^[3]

Important non-ferrous metals includealuminium, copper, lead, nickel, tin,titanium and zinc, and alloys such asbrass. Precious metals such as gold,silver and platinum and exotic or rare metals such as cobalt, 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 assulfides, carbonates, and silicates.^[5]Non-ferrous metals are usually refined through electrolysis.^[6]