Non-ferrous metals is a general term for all metals and their alloys
except ferrous metals such as iron, chromium and manganese. Most
of these metals are named for their unique color, such as copper's
purple-red, aluminum's silver-white, gold's brilliant yellow, and their
types cover more than 70 elements, which is an important material
base to support the development of modern industry, science and
technology, and people's livelihood.
Classification, non-ferrous metals can be subdivided into five categories:
light metals (aluminum, magnesium, titanium and other metals with a
density of less than 5g/cm³), heavy metals (copper, lead, zinc and other
higher density), precious metals (gold, silver, platinum and other chemically
stable and scarce metals), rare metals (tungsten, molybdenum, rare
earths, and other metals with small reserves), as well as radioactive
metals (uranium, thorium, etc.). Each of these metals plays an irreplaceable
role in a particular field due to its unique physico-chemical properties.
Compared to ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals generally have better
electrical and thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance and ductility.
For example, copper's electrical conductivity is second only to silver,
becoming the core material for power transmission; aluminum's lightweight
and oxidation-resistant properties make it widely used in aerospace; titanium
alloys are used in the manufacture of artificial bones and deep-sea equipment
due to their high strength and biocompatibility. These characteristics make
non-ferrous metals become the key support for electronic information, new
energy, high-end equipment and other strategic industries.
In industrial production, the smelting and processing technology of non-ferrous metals directly affects the performance of materials. Aluminum, for example, from bauxite extraction of alumina, and then by electrolysis to obtain primary aluminum, followed by rolling, extrusion and other processes made of aluminum plates, foils or profiles, widely used in automotive lightweight, photovoltaic frame and other scenes. The purification and alloying technology of rare earth metals, moreover, directly determines the upper limit of the performance of permanent magnet materials, catalysts and other cutting-edge products.
Currently, the global non-ferrous metal industry presents two major trends: greening and high-end. On the one hand, clean smelting technologies (such as oxygen bottom blowing copper, inert anode aluminum electrolysis) significantly reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions; on the other hand, the research and development of high-purity metals (such as 6N grade ultra-high purity copper), metal matrix composites (such as silicon-carbide reinforced aluminum-based materials) continue to break through the boundary of the material performance, to meet the emerging needs of 5G communications, semiconductor packaging and so on. At the same time, the improvement of the recycling system of renewable metals has made the recycling rate of copper, aluminum and other metals exceed 50%, promoting the transformation of the industry to sustainable development.
As the “bloodline” of the modern industrial system, the level of development and utilization of non-ferrous metals has become an important yardstick for measuring national scientific and technological strength and industrial competitiveness. From the electrical components of thousands of households to the precision parts of deep space probes, these “colorful metals” are constructing the cornerstone of human civilization in a silent way.