History of Metals

By jinhyeok00
  • 6000 BCE

    Gold

    Gold has been considered a luxury and valued from the very beginning. It was the first metal to be widely known and acknowledged by our species.Thus, it became a part of human culture due to its natural beauty and economic value.Some of the historical uses include jewellery, ornaments and coinage. The properties of gold include: a bright yellow colour, unreactive and malleable. Gold is obtained through mining.
  • 4200 BCE

    Copper

    Copper is known as one of the oldest metals known to civilisation. Copper was first used as Tools and Weapons, but now they are used as electrical wiring, pipes and plumbing and jewellery. They are low in the activity series and are readily extracted from ores. Copper is obtained by the process of froth flotation, smelting and refining.
  • 4000 BCE

    Silver

    Silver had always been widely used throughout history for monetary systems. It is commonly used in jewellery, silver tableware and also mirrors. Silver occurs as uncombined and is extracted by mining.
  • 3500 BCE

    Lead

    Lead has been used by humans for centuries. Some of the uses of lead include pipes, car batteries, solder, etc. Lead is obtained through a roasting process.
  • 1750 BCE

    Tin

    Tin had a direct impact towards human history. Some uses include on ships, cans and to produce electrically conductive coatings. It is obtained commercially by reducing the ore with coal in a furnace.
  • 1500 BCE

    Iron (smelting)

    Know to have been smelted by Turkey in to obtain iron. Used in civil engineering and manufacturing, pipes, valves and pumps, etc. It is produced in a blast furnace.
  • 750 BCE

    Mercury

    Mercury is a special element and has fascinated people due to it being a liquid at room temperature. It is mainly used as catalysts in the chemical industry. Mercury rarely occurs as uncombined in nature but can be found in droplets of mercury sulfide ores.

  • Nickel

    After Iron, Nickel is believed to be the second most plentiful element in the earth and is used in the production of corrosion resistant alloys. Used in batteries and also coins. Can be found in certain minerals.

  • Uranium

    Uranium is used to colour glass and ceramics, but now also used for nuclear purposes. Occurs naturally in certain minerals.

  • Titanium

    As strong as steel but less dense. Titanium is used in cooking pans, golf clubs, laptops, bicycle, etc. Almost present in igneous rocks and sediments from them

  • Chromium

    Mainly used in steels to improve resistance and essential in the production of stainless steel metals. Found mainly in chromite. Also used to produce certain alloys.

  • Silicon

    Silicon is never found pure as it naturally occurs as either an oxide or silicate. Also used in civil engineering projects and are used in lazers.

  • Aluminium

    The most common element in the Earth's crust and is considered one of the lightest metals. Used in aeroplanes, drink cans, wrapping foil, windows and door frames, motor car parts and transmission lines. Usually found in minerals such as bauxite and cryolite.

  • Polonium and Radium

    Are both radioactive and rarely occur in nature. Radium is used to produce radon, which is used to cure cancer. Polonium is as heat sources in space satellites.