As its name implies, these metals contain No Iron, therefore they cannot rust, but they have other properties which make them more suitable for other applications.
Non-ferrous metals also encompass precious metals such as Gold, Silver and Platinum.
Despite being the most abundant ore on earth, the processing of Bauxite into Aluminium is difficult and requires a great deal of energy. This explains why it is often 3-4 times more expensive than steel. However, Aluminium has a good strength to weight ratio. This means that given its relatively light weight it is also quite strong.
Aluminium is a third of the weight of steel yet it is roughly half as strong. This is a good example of ‘strength to weight ratio’; you may lose half the strength, but you lose two thirds of the weight of a similar size piece of material. As it does not corrode, Aluminium is often used to replace steel in outdoor applications and, due to being lightweight, is also used for portability in sports and camping applications. It is also an excellent conductor of heat so it is used in cooking and for heat sinks, and electrical casings (iPod, iPad, Macbook etc.) to help dissipate the heat. It melts at 660C degrees.
Copper is equally difficult and expensive to produce and is becoming very expensive to buy. Like Aluminium, it requires an electrolytic process and a similar process is used for Tin and Zinc. Copper is an excellent conductor of both heat and electricity which is why it is still used for electrical circuits, plumbing and for electrical and data cables.
For those that don’t have fibre optic broadband, you still rely on Copper for bringing the internet into your home, and copper piping to keep you warm.
It melts at 1083C degrees.
Tin is rarely used in its pure state, but applications include food wrapping / foil (now replaced with aluminium) and coating for steel plate in the production of food cans. It is also mixed with Lead to make Solder.
It melts at 232C degrees.
Lead is a very soft but heavy material, which has excellent resistance to chemicals and can block a variety of wavelengths from passing through such as X rays. It is used to line the containers for radioactive material as well as 'flashing' in buildings where the roof meets the wall.
It melts at 330C degrees.
Zinc is used primarily for coating steel, which is known as galvanizing. This is done for steel support beams, buckets, wheelbarrows and bins for use outdoors. It can also be die cast to produce high detail products such as lock mechanisms and small gears.
It melts at 419C degrees.
Titanium is also classed as a modern material. It has the highest strength to weight ratio of metals and is a very clean material making it suitable for medical and surgical applications. It is also used in high performance sports equipment and in spectacle frames.
It melts at 1675C degrees.
You should also be familiar with a range of precious metals used primarily in jewelry due to their high cost, but also in mobile phones and modern technology.
Silver melts at 960 degrees C.
Gold melts at 1063 degrees C.
Platinum melts at 1755 degrees C.