The metals other than iron and alloys that do not contain an appreciable amount of ferrous (iron) are known as non-ferrous metals. A distinguishing feature of non-ferrous metals is that they are highly malleable (i.e., they can be pressed or hammered into thin sheets without breaking).
Non-ferrous metals have one valuable advantage over ferrous metals, which is that they are highly corrosion and rust resistant because they do not have any iron content in them. Consequently, these materials are suitable for highly corrosive environments such as liquid, chemical and sewage pipelines.
Non-ferrous metals are also non-magnetic, which make them suitable for many electrical and electronic applications.
Some commonly used non-ferrous metals are copper, zinc, aluminum, lead, nickel, cobalt, chromium, gold, silver and many others.
Some common non-ferrous metals used in industrial processes are:
- Aluminum
- Copper
- Lead
- Zinc
- Tin