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In general terms, we can say that a base metal is a metallic element or an alloy that easily oxidizes, tarnishes or corrodes in the presence of oxygen and water vapor in the air. They are generally materials with usable mechanical properties, such as high hardness and impact resistance, among others, but whose chemical properties are not ideal. For this reason, base metals generally require mixing or coating with other metals or materials to ensure their integrity when exposed to oxidizing or corrosive environments.
Alternative Industry Base Metal Definitions
The previous concept of base metal is quite general, but there are also more specific concepts depending on the application that is given to the metal. Here are some alternative base metal concepts in four different industries:
Base metal concept in jewelry
In the case of jewelry, a base metal generally refers to a relatively low value metal or alloy that is used as a filler or to give jewelry structure. In this case, the concept emphasizes the value of the metal, making a clear distinction with its counterpart, precious metals.
Base metal concept in metallurgy
On the other hand, in metallurgy the concept of base metal is usually associated with the major component of an alloy. For example, in the manufacture of steel and other ferrous metals, iron is often the main component and is therefore considered the base metal of the alloy.
In other cases, the base metal consists of a metal or alloy used as a structural base that is then coated with another metal, either to protect the base metal or to give the surface another finish. Some examples of this type of application of base metals is in the manufacture of some bodywork parts such as wheels, fenders or chrome engine covers, in which an iron or some type of steel base is subjected to chrome or electroplating. another high-gloss stainless metal. These chrome parts are highly resistant to corrosion and also provide a high quality shine to finished parts that would be unachievable with base metal.
Concept of base metal in welding
In the metal welding industry, the concept of base metal refers to the metal or material that will be welded, cut, or tempered.
Base metal concept in economics and investment
For investors, the concept of base metals is the opposite of that of precious metals. These are metals of low monetary value, but of high value in the economy due to their multiple industrial applications and in manufacturing processes. They are therefore metals that are exploited in a much greater proportion than precious metals, with global production and consumption reaching millions of tons per year.
Base Metal Examples
Many of the transition metals and some of the heavy metals in the p block of the periodic table are considered base metals. Furthermore, as previously mentioned, some alloys are also frequently used as base metals for various applications.
Here are some examples of commonly used base metals:
Iron (Fe)
Iron is the most important metal for the human species. It is at the same time the element most extracted from the earth’s crust and the most widely used metal in the world. This transition metal, with atomic number 26 and average relative atomic mass of 55.845, is a base metal used in every imaginable industry, from construction, automobile manufacturing, and aerospace to jewelry and steelmaking. kitchen knives of all kinds.
In some construction applications such as the manufacture of reinforcing rods in reinforced concrete, iron is used pure and without coatings, only adjusting to the economic concept of base metal, and in some cases to the concept of base metal in welding. .
However, in virtually all other uses, iron fits nicely into all of the base metal concepts mentioned above.
Copper (Cu)
Copper is another metal of immense industrial and economic importance, and it is also produced in very large quantities. It is a transition metal and, although it does not rust or corrode to the same degree as iron, this element does quickly lose its metallic luster and its characteristic reddish color due to the formation of an opaque patina on its surface, in some cases of green color, in others black or a mixture of them, depending on the composition of the conditions to which it is exposed.
In addition to being one of the best known electrical and thermal conductors, copper also forms the base metal of many important alloys, one of the best known being bronze, which contains almost 90% copper.
Lead (Pb)
Lead is a heavy metal in the p block of the periodic table so, unlike the examples cited above, it is not considered a transition metal. It is a very soft, silver-colored, high-density metal that has been used for centuries in a myriad of applications, including its use as a filler material in old stained glass windows, its use as a base for anti-knock agents in gasoline, and its use as an electrode in lead-acid electricity storage batteries.
Lead also forms the basis of a great many alloys of various hardnesses and various melting points, most of which are relatively low. Lead-antimony alloy containing 94% lead is an example of an alloy in which lead is the base metal and which has high corrosion resistance and is considerably harder than pure lead.
Tin (Sn)
Tin is a low-melting metal that in its pure state has few useful properties, particularly because it transforms into a powdery, amorphous solid below 13°C. However, there are many tin-based alloys that have the desirable low melting point, but have better chemical and physical properties for various applications.
One of the most common is its use as a base metal in alloys for use in soldering electronic components. We could say that tin is one of the bases for the rapid and low-cost manufacturing of many of the components of the computers and mobile equipment that we use on a daily basis.
Aluminum (Al)
Aluminum is another of the most important metals for humans. Its applications span all industries, from technology to aerospace, construction, and more. In many applications it is used as a base metal in alloys, while in others it is used in its pure state in the form of very thin sheets.
Nickel (Ni)
Nickel is another example of a base metal, but almost exclusively from an economic point of view. This is because it is a metal of great industrial and economic importance, and it is of much lower value than precious metals. However, despite the fact that it is part of a very large variety of important alloys, nickel is rarely the main component. On the other hand, pure nickel is a fairly chemically stable metal, which resists corrosion and therefore does not need to be coated with other metals to protect it from atmospheric oxygen or moisture. In fact, nickel is one of the metals that many of the other base metals are often plated with. It is often used to make coins.
Brass
Brass itself is a gold-colored alloy that is highly resistant to corrosion. It is made up of copper and zinc and looks similar in color to gold. Despite being an alloy, brass is considered a base metal for many different applications. For example, in costume jewelery and low-quality jewelry, silver-coated brass wires are used to give the desired surface effect, but at a much lower cost than pure silver.
Also, many water pipe parts are made from galvanized brass. Galvanizing is the process of electrolytic coating of a base metal (in this case brass) with another metal that is usually zinc. Galvanized brass parts are even more resistant to corrosion than pure brass parts.
Steel
Like brass, steel is an alloy that is often galvanized to give it greater resistance to corrosion and a brighter, more durable finish. Galvanized steel is very common in rails, and handrails in public buildings exposed to the elements.
References
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