Non-Ferrous Metals Explained: Properties, Types, and Uses

Metals fall into two categories: ferrous and non-ferrous. Non-ferrous metals stand out for their light weight, high corrosion resistance, and diverse range of physical and mechanical properties, which make them ideal for a variety of applications.

What Are Non-Ferrous Metals?

Non-ferrous metals do not contain iron in any significant amount. (The word “ferrous” comes from the Latin word “ferrum”, meaning iron.)

Types of Non-Ferrous Metals

There are many types of non-ferrous metals, each with unique characteristics that make them perfect for a wide range of applications and uses.

Aluminum

Aluminum is a versatile non-ferrous metal known for its light weight, strong structure, and excellent thermal and electrical conductivity. It's also easy to work with, no matter whether you're cutting, drilling, bending, or brazing it. This makes aluminum ideal for fabricating everything from awnings and trailers to frames and other practical designs.

Copper

Copper is widely used for its exceptional electrical and thermal conductivity. It's lightweight and highly malleable, which makes it possible to bend, shape, hammer, or weld it into intricate designs. This has led it to become a popular choice for artists and sculptors.

Lead

Lead is a dense, highly malleable metal, making it advantageous as a barrier in X-ray labs, where it protects against the harmful effects of radiation.

Lead is also corrosion-resistant, low in energy conductivity, and unreactive with other elements.

Although lead is not as commonly used in commercial applications as it once was, it is still often present in architectural features like roofing materials, flashing, and gutters.

Nickel

Nickel is a metal renowned for its fantastic corrosion resistance. High in ductility and malleability, it is one of the primary elements in stainless steel for this reason.

In fact, an entire group of metals called ‘nickel alloys’ are known for their suitability in high-heat and highly corrosive environments. These metals include Monel, Inconel, and Hastelloy.

Tin

Tin is a lightweight, highly malleable, and ductile metal, widely used in food packaging due to its stability and low reactivity.

Zinc

Another metal known for its exceptional anti-corrosive properties is zinc. It is common as a coating in the galvanizing process, where it protects steel structures in marine environments.

Titanium

Titanium is a non-ferrous metal known for its hardness, impact resistance, and high strength. It is nearly as strong as some low-alloy steels in some instances. Combined with its light weight, these qualities make it ideal for use in the aviation and aerospace industries.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a highly reactive metal, especially when exposed to water and acids. Despite its reactivity, it’s impressively strong for its weight.

Magnesium is often used as an alloying element with metals like aluminum to boost strength and corrosion resistance. Alloys made with magnesium typically offer excellent strength-to-weight ratios, making them ideal for aviation, aerospace, and certain automotive applications.

Here is our guide offering more in-depth information about magnesium and how it impacts welding.

Beryllium

Beryllium is a corrosion-resistant metal with excellent thermal and electrical conductivity. Its hard, grayish-white structure, high melting point, and light weight make it ideal for aerospace applications.

It is possible to alloy beryllium with other metals to boost strength while keeping the end result lightweight. For example, when alloyed with copper, beryllium enhances conductivity and fatigue resistance.

However, beryllium is highly toxic if inhaled as dust or fumes. Therefore, strict safety precautions are necessary when working with this metal.

Properties of Non-Ferrous Metals

Non-ferrous metals have characteristics that make them ideal for specific applications. These traits are due to the primary elements in their composition. The following link provides detailed information about how these elements define a metal’s identity and key properties.

Physical Properties

Non-ferrous metals are known for being lightweight, highly conductive, and resistant to corrosion. These traits make them the go-to choice for demanding applications in welding, construction, and manufacturing.

Density

Non-ferrous metals have lower densities than ferrous metals, making them lighter in weight than comparable ferrous metals.

Thermal and Electrical Conductivity

Many non-ferrous metals (notably copper and aluminum) have excellent thermal and electrical conductivity.

Corrosion Resistance

Many non-ferrous metals are highly corrosion resistant, which makes them suitable for use in harsh, potentially corrosive environments.

Malleability and Ductility

Non-ferrous metals are typically more malleable and ductile than ferrous metals, meaning they’re easier to bend, form, and shape.

Magnetism

Non-ferrous metals are non-magnetic, meaning they’re suitable for applications where resistance to magnetic energy is a concern.

Mechanical Properties

Non-ferrous metals tend to be softer than ferrous metals, which may make them more vulnerable to damage under impact. While they may not offer the same strength or toughness, metals like titanium have superior hardness and impact resistance, making them an exception to the general trend. Keep in mind that mechanical properties vary widely between non-ferrous metals.

Chemical Properties

Like mechanical properties, chemical reactivity varies among non-ferrous metals. Some (like aluminum) form a protective oxide layer, while others (like zinc) corrode much more rapidly.

Acid resistance is another property that varies greatly among non-ferrous metals. Aluminum is highly resistant to acid. Copper, however, deteriorates in the presence of strong acids.

Non-ferrous metals are often suitable as alloying materials to create metals with specific desirable properties. Nickel and chromium—as two notable examples—are alloyed with steel of a lower carbon content to create stainless steels.

Pros and Cons of Working With Non-Ferrous Metals

There are several advantages and disadvantages of using non-ferrous metals.

Pros

Non-ferrous metals are lighter than their ferritic counterparts, meaning they offer reduced weight without sacrificing key properties.
Many non-ferrous metals are highly resistant to corrosion, making them ideal for environments where corrosion is a concern.
These metals are often malleable, making them easier to shape through bending, twisting, or hammering.

Cons

Non-ferrous metals tend to be less strong than ferritic metals, which may mean they are unsuitable for applications requiring high structural rigidity.
They are often more expensive than equivalent ferrous metals like carbon steel.
Non-ferrous metals may be harder to find, often requiring specialized distributors, while ferrous metals are available through standard suppliers of mild steel.

Uses of Non-Ferrous Metals

Non-ferrous metals are used in a wide array of industries and applications for their unique properties.

Aerospace Industry

Titanium is a valuable metal in aerospace applications due to its high strength and lightweight characteristics.

Aluminum is also used extensively in aerospace applications due to its high strength-to-weight ratio.

Construction Industry

Non-ferrous metals are used in many construction applications. For example, aluminum is common in window frames and awning frames due to its light weight and structural rigidity.

Zinc is used in galvanized coatings, which coat steel structures in harsh marine environments.

Automotive Industry

Although its use has declined due to health risks, lead is still used in manufacturing batteries.

Aluminum’s high strength and light weight make it a popular choice in automotive parts—from engine blocks to wheels and body panels.

Electronics Industry

Copper is the go-to non-ferrous metal in electronics due to its exceptional electrical conductivity. It’s used in wires, cables, and connectors in countless electronic components.

Gold is also widely used in electronics—particularly for plate connections—thanks to its high conductivity and resistance to corrosion.

Energy Sector

Copper is used extensively in energy generation and transmission due to its exceptional conductivity. Copper is used to make wires, cable, and electrical connections throughout the energy sector.

Aluminum is also used in renewable energy (notably in the fabrication of frames for solar panels), thanks to its structural strength and light weight.

Medical Industry

Titanium alloys are used in medical applications like implants and surgical instruments for their strength and biocompatibility.

Beryllium is found in X-ray equipment and other precision medical instruments due to its lightweight and rigid structure.

Processing and Manufacturing Non-Ferrous Metals

Turning metal ore into a usable form for specific applications involves several stages.

Mining and Extraction

Since metal ore is often found under layers of soil and rock, the ore must be mined or extracted from the ground by open-pit mining or underground tunneling. After extraction, the ore is taken to a processing facility.

Smelting and Refining

After extraction, the ore is crushed and ground, then heated in a smelting process. This helps separate the metal from impurities. Additional refining steps—such as electrical or chemical treatments—may be necessary to further purify the metal before it moves to the next stage.

Casting

The refined metal is heated to a molten state and poured into molds to create casts of specific shapes or designs.

Forging and Rolling

In some cases, the metal is rolled into plates or bars or drawn out into wires and cables to form the final product.

Heat Treatment

Heat treatment may improve a metal’s mechanical properties, such as its strength and hardness. Precipitation hardening (a type of heat treatment) increases strength by forming particles within the metal’s grain structure, which limits movement and enhances its durability.

Recycling Non-Ferrous Metals

Recycling non-ferrous metals offers significant benefits: it reduces the need for new mining operations, cuts costs, and minimizes environmental impact.

Process of Recycling Non-Ferrous Metals

Recycling begins with the collection of metal materials at recycling centers, where metals are sorted by type. The metals are cleaned and processed to remove debris and contaminants. They are then placed into a furnace for further purification, which essentially starts the refining process again. Afterward, the metals are cast or rolled into their final shape, ready to be sold and reused.

Environmental Impact

Recycling reduces the demand for new metals, cutting down on the need for mining. The energy required to recycle metals is far less than that needed to mine new ore—recycling aluminum, for example, uses up to 95% less energy. Additionally, recycling helps reduce the amount of land needed for scrap metal storage, contributing to overall environmental benefits.

Safety Precautions

Safety should always come first when working with metals. Fumes from welding and dust from grinding and finishing may release airborne particulates that pose a serious risk to respiratory health. Always use a respirator equipped with the appropriate cartridge for the task to protect against inhalation hazards.

Handling and Storage

Improper handling, storage, and disposal of materials used in metalworking may be harmful to both health and the environment. Ensure you store all materials safely and dispose of them according to safety guidelines to minimize risks.

Protective Gear and Equipment

Working with non-ferrous metals presents several hazards, such as sharp edges, hot surfaces, flying sparks, and UV radiation from welding. It’s essential to address these risks by using the proper protective gear.

At a minimum, when cutting, bending, heating, or welding non-ferrous metals, you should wear:

Safety glasses with side shields
Work gloves designed for the specific task (avoid gloves made from polyester or synthetic fibers, as they may melt and cause burns in high heat)
Welding gloves, face shields, and welding helmets when welding

The following is our guide which provides more detailed information about welding safety and the personal protective equipment required.

Welding and Cutting Safety

Welding operations come with their own set of hazards, which require specific precautions. The first rule of safety is hazard elimination. Before starting, remove any combustible materials from the work area and store them a safe distance away to prevent ignition from stray sparks or heat.

The term "line of fire" is crucial in welding safety. It refers to the area where heat, sparks, and debris could potentially cause injury. Always be mindful of this zone during cutting, grinding, or any work that involves heat or force. Plan ahead to ensure that you’re not in the line of fire and that the workspace is clear of hazards.

FAQ

What are non-ferrous metals, and how are they different from ferrous metals?

Ferrous metals are primarily composed of iron. Non-ferrous metals, on the other hand, do not contain iron in significant amounts. This key difference affects their properties, including their strength, weight, and resistance to corrosion.

What are the main types of non-ferrous metals in industrial applications?

The most common non-ferrous metals in industrial applications include aluminum, copper, zinc, lead, and tin. Aluminum is favored for its strength-to-weight ratio, while copper is widely used for its excellent electrical conductivity. Both these metals are malleable, allowing them to be cut, bent, and welded with ease.

What are the advantages of using non-ferrous metals in construction and manufacturing?

Non-ferrous metals offer several key benefits in industrial settings:

Lightweight - They are typically less dense than ferrous metals, making them lighter and easier to handle.

Corrosion resistance - Many non-ferrous metals (such as zinc and nickel) have superior corrosion resistance compared to ferrous metals, making them ideal for use in harsh environments.

Malleability - Most non-ferrous metals are more malleable than their ferrous counterparts. Copper, for example, is easy to shape into intricate designs, which saves on the labor and tool costs you would need for more rigid metals.

Featured photo courtesy of Hamed Taha // Pixabay