General Metals

Metals make up the bulk of the periodic table and are (generally) good conductors of heat and electricity.

An alloy is a mixture of two or more components, the main component being a metal. Alone, most metals are either too soft, brittle or chemically reactive for practical use. Mixing different amounts of metals as alloys alters pure metals to produce desired results. The goal of alloys is to make metals less brittle, harder, resistant to corrosion, or increase color and shine.

The alloys of iron (steel, stainless steel, cast iron, tool steel, alloy steel) comprise the largest proportion in both quantity and value.

Copper alloys have many applications today, most importantly in electrical wiring. Aluminium, titanium and magnesium alloys are valued for their high strength-to-weight ratios.

Alloys specially designed for highly demanding applications, such as jet engines, may contain more than ten elements.