Non-ferrous metals are indispensable basic materials supporting
the modern industrial system, from titanium alloy shells in
spacecraft to rare earth elements in mobile phone chips, from
copper conductors in high-voltage cables to lithium batteries
in new energy vehicles, their applications permeate every
aspect of human production and life. However, many people
still have a blind spot in terms of their definition, classification
and strategic value. In this article, we will systematically analyse
the connotation and extension of non-ferrous metals from the
dimensions of basic concepts, core classifications, application
scenarios and industry trends, and reveal their key position
in the global industrial chain.
I. Definition and core characteristics of
non-ferrous metals
1. Basic Concept
Non-ferrous Metals (Non-ferrous Metals) refers to all metals other
than iron (Fe), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn) and its alloys. The
corresponding ferrous metals are mainly iron and steel and their
derivatives. This classification stems from the differences in the
physical and chemical properties of the metals and their
industrial applications:
Ferrous metals: mainly iron and carbon alloys (steel, cast iron), high strength,
low cost, but easy to rust, widely used in construction, machinery
manufacturing.
Non-ferrous metals: a wide variety, with electrical conductivity, thermal
conductivity, corrosion resistance, lightweight and other characteristics,
is the core raw material for high-tech industries.
2. Core features
Diversity: covering more than 80 elements, from common copper and
aluminium to rare indium and gallium, forming a huge material system.
Irreplaceability: many non-ferrous metals are irreplaceable in specific
fields, such as tungsten for carbide cutting tools and tantalum for
high-end capacitors.
Strategic attributes: rare earths, lithium, cobalt, etc. are listed as key
minerals by many countries, which is related to energy transformation
and national defence security.
Second, the classification of non-ferrous
metals and typical representatives
According to the density, value and scarcity of resources,
non-ferrous metals can be divided into five categories:
1. Heavy metals (density > 4.5g/cm³)
Copper (Cu): second only to silver in electrical conductivity, 60%
used in power equipment, global annual consumption of more
than 25 million tonnes.
Lead (Pb): 80% used in lead-acid batteries, recycling rate of up
to 99%, a model of circular economy.
Zinc (Zn): galvanised steel accounts for 50% of consumption,
effectively slowing down steel corrosion.
2. Light metals (density <4.5g/cm³)
Aluminium (Al): the first metal content of the earth's crust,
aerospace, new energy vehicles, lightweight core materials.
Magnesium (Mg): density of only 2/3 of aluminium, in the 3C
products shell, car wheels instead of engineering plastics.
Titanium (Ti): corrosion resistance over stainless steel, deep-sea
submarines, artificial joints, the ideal material.
3. Precious metals
Gold (Au): central bank reserves and high-end electronic devices, dual
attributes, annual mineral gold production of about 3,500 tonnes.
Silver (Ag): photovoltaic silver paste accounted for 15% of consumption,
single GW component silver consumption of about 25 tonnes.
Platinum group metals (Pt, Pd, etc.): key materials for automotive catalytic
converters, and catalysts for hydrogen energy electrolysis tanks
have huge potential.
4. Rare metals
Rare earths (17 elements): permanent magnetic materials (NdFeB),
phosphors, hydrogen storage alloys rely on rare earths, China
supplies more than 60% of the world.
Tungsten (W): melting point of 3410 ℃, tungsten carbide cutting tools,
armour-piercing ammunition core materials, strategic reserves focus.
Lithium (Li): core raw material for power batteries, global lithium
resources of more than 86 million tonnes, the cost of lithium
extraction from salt lakes <40,000 yuan / tonne.
5. Semi-metal
Silicon (Si): photovoltaic polycrystalline silicon, chip monocrystalline
silicon substrate materials, purity needs to reach 99.9999% or more.
Germanium (Ge): infrared optical lenses, optical fibre dopant,
80% produced in China.
Third, the industry chain of non-ferrous
metals and application scenarios
1. Industry chain panorama
Upstream: mining, ore dressing (e.g., copper ore flotation recovery
rate of 85%~92%), smelting (thermal/wet process).
Midstream: processing into materials (plates, strips, foils, tubes),
alloy preparation (e.g. aluminium alloy 6061, titanium alloy TC4).
Downstream: terminal manufacturing (automotive, electronics,
military), recycling (energy consumption of recycled aluminium
is only 5% of primary aluminium).
2. Core application areas
Energy transition:
Copper: wind power needs 3~5 tonnes per MW, electric car
single car usage 83kg (fuel car only 23kg).
Lithium / cobalt / nickel: ternary lithium battery cathode
materials, lithium demand for a single car about 8~10kg.
High-end manufacturing:
Aerospace aluminium (7075-T6): tensile strength of 572MPa,
used in C919 fuselage skin.
Titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V): 15% of Boeing 787 structural weight,
more than 20% weight reduction.
Information Technology:
High-purity gallium: third-generation semiconductor (GaN) substrate,
5G base station power consumption reduced by 30%.
Tantalum capacitors: mobile phones, missile guidance systems must,
capacitance stability over other capacitors 10 times.
Fourth, the current situation and challenges of the
global non-ferrous metals industry
1. Uneven distribution of resources
China: the world's largest reserves of tungsten, rare earths, antimony,
but copper, bauxite external dependence of more than 70%.
Congo (DRC): supply 60% of the world's cobalt, lithium industry chain ‘throat’.
Chile: copper reserves of 170 million tonnes, accounting for 23% of the
world, copper price fluctuations affect the global economy.
2. Environmental protection and sustainable pressure
Energy consumption: Aluminium electrolysis consumes 13,500 kWh of
electricity per ton, accounting for 6.7% of the national electricity consumption.
Pollution control: lead smelting produces arsenic-containing soot, rare
earth mining leads to ammonia and nitrogen pollution.
Resource recycling: global recycled copper accounts for 35%, China
aims at 20 million tonnes of recycled non-ferrous metal production in 2025.
3. Technological innovation direction
Green metallurgy: bio-impregnated copper (40% cost reduction),
inert anode aluminium electrolysis (50% carbon emission reduction).
Material upgrading: high-strength aluminium alloy (tensile strength over
700MPa), nano-tungsten-copper composite materials.
Digital mine: 5G+ unmanned mining, AI beneficiation to optimise
recovery rate.
Future trend: from ‘resource-dependent’
to ‘technology-driven’.
Low-carbon transformation:
Integration of hydropower and aluminium (Yunnan model),
carbon emissions per ton of aluminium reduced from 13
tonnes to 1 tonne;
Hydrogen reduction ironmaking replacing coke, by-product
metallised pellets containing zinc and lead can be recycled.
The industrial chain is autonomous and controllable:
Breakthrough in high-purity metal (99.9999% or more) preparation
technology, reducing dependence on chip material imports;
Deep-sea mining (polymetallic nodules), lunar resource
development (helium-3 extraction) to expand resource boundaries.
Intelligent upgrading:
Digital twin factories optimise smelting parameters in real time,
reducing energy consumption by 15%~20%;
Blockchain traceability to ensure compliance of ‘conflict
minerals’ (Congo cobalt, Myanmar tin).
Conclusion
Non-ferrous metals are not only the cornerstone of industrial civilisation,
but also the lifeblood of the future technological revolution and energy
transformation. From rare earths in smartphones to titanium alloys in
space exploration, from copper conductors in extra-high voltage power
grids to platinum catalysts in a hydrogen society, their strategic value
will continue to rise. In the face of resource constraints and
environmental challenges, the global industry is accelerating its
evolution towards greening, high-end and recycling. Understanding
the full picture and trends of non-ferrous metals will provide a key
perspective for enterprises to grasp the technological windfall
and formulate resource strategies.