Base metals

Base metals are non-ferrous metals. They include:

Aluminium, copper, lead, nickel, tin and zinc

These metals are widely used in industry and are therefore traded as futures contracts on the London Metal Exchange (LME).

Information on base metals

The following list contains the most important metals and alloying constituents, no compounds:

  • Aluminium

    light metal; Aluminium foil, container, conductor material (electrical technology)

  • Lead

    Alloys, Lead Accumulation, Lote, Corrosion Protection, Weight

  • Iron

    most important metallic material (steel, cast iron), many alloys

  • Copper

    Electrical engineering (second conductivity after silver), bronze, brass

  • Nickel

    Alloys (nickel irons, nickel chromium, nickel copper, etc.), alloy constituent (chrome nickel steel), magnets

  • Zinc

    Alloy component (brass), zinc die casting parts (Zamak alloy), zinc plated steel parts (fire tines, tape tines)

  • Tin

    Alloy component (bronze), solder (solder tin), tinplate, tin figures