

5.1.1 Metals are shaped by processes such as.Emerging areas for metallurgists include nanotechnology, superconductors, composites, biomedical materials, electronic materials (semiconductors) and surface engineering. Some traditional areas include mineral processing, metal production, heat treatment, failure analysis, and the joining of metals (including welding, brazing, and soldering).

Modern metallurgists work in both emerging and traditional areas as part of an interdisciplinary team alongside material scientists, and other engineers. The production of ferrous metals accounts for 95% of world metal production. The study of metal production is subdivided into ferrous metallurgy (also known as black metallurgy) and non-ferrous metallurgy (also known as colored metallurgy).įerrous metallurgy involves processes and alloys based on iron, while non-ferrous metallurgy involves processes and alloys based on other metals. However, non-metallic elements are often added to alloys in order to achieve properties suitable for an application. Metal alloys are often a blend of at least two different metallic elements. Metal production begins with the processing of ores to extract the metal, and includes the mixture of metals to make alloys. Historically, metallurgy has predominately focused on the production of metals. Topics studied in physical metallurgy include crystallography, material characterization, mechanical metallurgy, phase transformations, and failure mechanisms. In contrast, physical metallurgy focuses on the mechanical properties of metals, the physical properties of metals, and the physical performance of metals. Subjects of study in chemical metallurgy include mineral processing, the extraction of metals, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, and chemical degradation ( corrosion). Chemical metallurgy is chiefly concerned with the reduction and oxidation of metals, and the chemical performance of metals. The science of metallurgy is subdivided into two broad categories: chemical metallurgy and physical metallurgy. A specialist practitioner of metallurgy is known as a metallurgist.

Metalworking relies on metallurgy in a similar manner to how medicine relies on medical science for technical advancement. Metallurgy is distinct from the craft of metalworking.

Metallurgy encompasses both the science and the technology of metals that is, the way in which science is applied to the production of metals, and the engineering of metal components used in products for both consumers and manufacturers. Metallurgy is a domain of materials science and engineering that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their inter-metallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are called alloys. Gold was processed in La Luz Gold Mine (pictured) near Siuna, Nicaragua, until 1968.
