Alloy: An alloy is a mixture of two of more elements, at least one of which is a metal. Like all mixtures (as opposed to compounds), the alloy retains the properties of the metal. An alloy may be made for one or more of the following reasons:
Bronze is considered to be the oldest made alloy by man.
| Alloy | Combination of | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Duralumin | Aluminium and Copper | Used in aircraft, pressure cookers |
| Brass | Copper and Zinc | Electrical plugs, hinges, faucets, musical instruments |
| Bronze | Copper and Tin | Art items like statues, tools, coins etc. |
| Invar | Iron and Nickel | Precision instruments, clocks |
| Stainless steel | Iron, Chromium and Nickel | Most utensils in modern kitchen are made of stainless steel |
| German Silver | Copper, Nickel and Zinc | Decorative utensils, ships and plumbings |
| Gunmetal | Copper, Tin and Zinc | Originally used for making guns but now mainly used in pipe fittings, valves etc. |
| Solder | Lead and Tin | To bond metals like brass, copper and tin together |
| Electrum | Gold and Silver | Jewellery, decorative items, coins |
| Nichrome | Nickel, Chromium and Iron | Toasters, electrical kettles and heaters |
| Constantan (trademarked name) | Copper and Nickel | Thermocouples and some scientific components |
| Manganin (trademarked name) | Copper, Manganese and Nickel | Resistors and specific gauges |
| Metal | Ore |
|---|---|
| Aluminium | Bauxite |
| Beryllium | Beryl |
| Chromium | Chromite |
| Cobalt | Cobaltite |
| Copper | Bornite, Chalcocite |
| Gold | Quartz |
| Iron | Magnetite |
| Lead | Galena |
| Manganese | Pyrolusite |
| Mercury | Cinnabar |
| Nickel | Pentlandite |
| Tin | Casseterite |
| Tungsten | Wolframite, Scheelite |
| Silver | Argentite |
| Uranium | Uraninite |
| Zinc | Sphalerite |