Where Does Metal Come From?

Metals are known for their ability to conduct heat and electricity. They’re also extremely ductile, versatile, and machinable. For these reasons and many more, metal is part of our everyday lives and is pretty much everywhere. You’re probably within inches of something metal reading this blog right now. But, have you ever wondered, exactly where does metal come from? 

Here at Salamander Fabrications, we are specialists in sheet metal fabrication services, so it’s safe to say we know a thing or two about the material. If you’d like to know more about what metal is made of and how metal is made, continue reading…

So…where does metal come from?

Every single metal that exists on Earth today originated billions of years ago, way before we did. The first humans to discover metal stumbled upon copper, tin, and gold by hammering into rocks. Over time we have learned how to mix metals with other metals, and other substances, to create new metals that we now refer to as alloys. This is primarily done to improve strength amongst other characteristics.

For example, if you combine copper with tin, then you create bronze. Or if you mix iron and a little bit of carbon, you get steel, and so on and so forth. Most natural metals come from the earth’s crust, found in ores. An ore is a solid material that minerals can be extracted from. To extract the metal ores from the ground, huge mining operations are used across the world.

Our planet approximately consists of:

• 30% iron
• 14% magnesium
• 1.5% nickel
• 1.4% aluminium

This makes up almost half of the Earth – meaning we are almost 50% metal! Precious metals like gold, silver, or platinum exist in very, very small amounts. Estimations of the gold content of the earth’s crust are in the range of 0.001 to 0.006 parts per million. Extremely low in comparison to iron and magnesium. 

Where are metals found?

As mentioned in the previous section, the vast majority of metals on Earth are mined from the Earth’s core and crust. This means the metals you see all around you may have come from all different corners of the world. Australia and Brazil are some of the highest exporters and miners of metal, but there are many other countries that contribute to global production too.

This table provides a detailed look at where major metals are mined, their contributions to global supply, and their key applications.

Metal	Primary mining locations	Percentage of global production (approx.)	Typical applications	Notable properties
Aluminium	Australia, China, Guinea, Brazil, India	Australia (28%), China (23%)	Aerospace, packaging, construction, transport	Lightweight, corrosion resistant
Iron	Australia, Brazil, China, India, Russia	Australia (37%), Brazil (17%)	Steel production, construction, tools	Strong, abundant, magnetic
Copper	Chile, Peru, China, USA, DR Congo	Chile (27%), Peru (10%)	Electrical wiring, plumbing, coins	Conductive, malleable, antimicrobial
Gold	China, Australia, Russia, USA, Canada	China (10%), Australia (9%)	Jewellery, electronics, investment	Highly malleable, corrosion resistant
Silver	Mexico, China, Peru, Russia, Poland	Mexico (22%), China (16%)	Jewellery, electronics, medicine	Conductive, antibacterial, reflective
Platinum	South Africa, Russia, Zimbabwe, Canada	South Africa (70%)	Catalysts, jewellery, electronics	Dense, corrosion resistant, valuable
Palladium	Russia, South Africa, Canada, USA	Russia (40%), South Africa (36%)	Catalytic converters, electronics	Corrosion resistant, high melting point
Nickel	Indonesia, Philippines, Russia, Canada	Indonesia (37%), Philippines (14%)	Stainless steel, batteries, coins	Corrosion resistant, magnetic
Cobalt	DR Congo, Russia, Australia, Canada	DR Congo (70%)	Batteries, superalloys, magnets	High temperature strength, wear resistant
Zinc	China, Peru, Australia, USA, India	China (34%), Peru (11%)	Galvanisation, brass, batteries	Anti-corrosive, easily alloyed
Lead	China, Australia, USA, Peru, Mexico	China (40%), Australia (10%)	Batteries, radiation shielding, ammunition	Heavy, dense, malleable
Tin	China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Peru, Brazil	China (35%), Indonesia (20%)	Soldering, tin plating, bronze	Corrosion resistant, low melting point
Titanium	China, Japan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine	China (45%), Japan (17%)	Aerospace, medical implants, pigments	Lightweight, strong, corrosion resistant
Tungsten	China, Russia, Vietnam, Bolivia, Austria	China (80%)	Cutting tools, filaments, aerospace	Highest melting point, dense
Chromium	South Africa, Kazakhstan, India, Turkey	South Africa (40%), Kazakhstan (18%)	Stainless steel, plating, refractories	Corrosion resistant, hard
Lithium	Australia, Chile, China, Argentina	Australia (52%), Chile (26%)	Batteries, glass, medicine	Lightweight, highly reactive
Molybdenum	China, USA, Chile, Peru, Mexico	China (40%), USA (24%)	Steel alloys, catalysts, electronics	High melting point, heat resistant
Magnesium	China, Russia, USA, Turkey, Brazil	China (87%)	Alloys, aerospace, medicine	Lightweight, strong, flammable
Uranium	Kazakhstan, Canada, Australia, Namibia	Kazakhstan (42%), Canada (12%)	Nuclear power, medical isotopes	Radioactive, energy dense
Vanadium	China, Russia, South Africa, Brazil	China (60%), Russia (17%)	Steel alloys, batteries, tools	Strength enhancing, corrosion resistant

What is metal made of?

Natural metals are mined and extracted, refined, and then smelted – so in essence they already exist and are not ‘made of’ anything. They are pure metals. In relation to metal alloys – these are a combination of two or more metals or other materials.

Almost all metal elements can be alloyed into different types. Different types of metal alloys are made of different things. Each one offers its own unique physical beneficial features and characteristics. 

This table shows a variety of metal alloys, their compositions, key applications, and important properties.

Alloy	Composition	Typical applications	Notable properties
Steel	Iron + Carbon	Construction, tools, vehicles, machinery	Strong, durable, widely available
Stainless Steel	Iron + Chromium + Nickel	Kitchenware, medical instruments, architecture	Corrosion resistant, strong, hygienic
Carbon Steel	Iron + Carbon (0.12%-2%)	Bridges, buildings, pipelines, tools	High tensile strength, brittle at high carbon content
Cast Iron	Iron + Carbon (2%-4%) + Silicon	Engine blocks, cookware, pipes	Heavy, durable, good heat retention
Aluminium Alloy	Aluminium + Copper, Magnesium, or Silicon	Aerospace, transportation, packaging	Lightweight, corrosion resistant, strong
Brass	Copper + Zinc	Musical instruments, plumbing, decorative items	Malleable, corrosion resistant, antimicrobial
Bronze	Copper + Tin	Bearings, statues, boat fittings	Strong, corrosion resistant, harder than copper
Titanium Alloy	Titanium + Aluminium, Vanadium	Aerospace, medical implants, sports equipment	Lightweight, extremely strong, corrosion resistant
Tungsten Carbide	Tungsten + Carbon	Cutting tools, industrial drills	Extremely hard, wear resistant, heat resistant
Nickel Alloy	Nickel + Chromium + Iron	Jet engines, nuclear reactors, marine applications	High temperature resistance, corrosion resistant
Cobalt Alloy	Cobalt + Chromium + Tungsten	Cutting tools, dental implants, aerospace	Wear resistant, corrosion resistant, retains strength at high temperatures
Duralumin	Aluminium + Copper + Magnesium + Manganese	Aircraft structures, bike frames	Lightweight, strong, good fatigue resistance
Magnalium	Aluminium + Magnesium	Aerospace, scientific instruments, fireworks	Lightweight, corrosion resistant, strong
Cupronickel	Copper + Nickel	Marine applications, coins, ship hulls	Corrosion resistant, antimicrobial, good conductivity
Pewter	Tin + Copper + Antimony	Decorative items, tableware, sculptures	Low melting point, corrosion resistant, soft
Solder	Tin + Lead (or Silver, Copper)	Electronics, plumbing	Low melting point, good electrical conductivity
Babbitt Metal	Tin + Copper + Antimony	Bearings, machinery, engines	Low friction, wear resistant
Hastelloy	Nickel + Molybdenum + Chromium	Chemical processing, marine applications	Highly corrosion resistant, strong
Elinvar	Iron + Nickel + Chromium	Precision instruments, watch springs	Low thermal expansion, maintains shape under temperature changes

Check out our other blog – Examples of Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals to find out more about the difference between the two. This includes a deep dive into ferrous and non-ferrous metals, including their features and properties in comparison to each other.

How is metal made?

To answer this question, let’s take a look at the process of metal manufacturing at a basic level. The steps include:

1. Extract the raw ore from the Earth’s crust
2. Remove any non-metal material, such as rock and debris
3. Crush the ore into a fine powder
4. Heat the resulting powder to a high temperature
5. Rinse with cold water or a chemical bath
6. Filter the sludge
7. Separate the solid from the liquid
8. Apply an electrical current to break chemical bonds

Let’s take a look at the finer details of how some common metals are made.

Aluminium: The most common ore used for aluminium production is bauxite. This is crushed and then electrolysis is used to split it into aluminium and oxygen. The pure metal is cast into blocks known as ingots. To find out more about aluminium, check out our guide on the top ten uses of aluminium. 

Zinc: Zinc extraction commonly involves a method called froth flotation, which is also used for refining copper and lead. The zinc ore is ground into a fine powder and mixed with water, pine oil, and flotation agents. This mixture is stirred, causing the zinc particles to rise to the surface, where they are collected and further refined.

Lead: Lead ore is typically found deep underground and contains a significant amount of sulphur. The ore is first crushed and mixed with water, where it undergoes flotation to separate it from unwanted materials. However, additional refining is required – heating the lead further helps remove excess sulphur and other impurities.

Copper: Copper ores generally contain only a small percentage of copper, often around 4%. The refining process gradually increases its purity. The ore is first broken down into tiny fragments and combined with water before being placed in large tanks, where air and chemical agents help separate copper particles from other minerals. The resulting material is then heated in a large furnace called a smelter. This process burns off additional impurities, leaving behind copper matte, a substance that is at least 50% pure copper.

Brass: Unlike natural metals, brass is an engineered alloy made primarily from copper and zinc. Since it is not extracted from an ore, it is produced by melting these two metals together in a furnace. The molten brass is then shaped into pipes, tubes, or sheets, depending on its intended use. Brass is classified as a type of copper alloy due to its high copper content.

Steel: Steel production begins with iron extraction, primarily from hematite and magnetite ores. These iron-rich minerals are found in rock formations and deposits, with hematite easily identified by its distinctive reddish colour. The method of extraction varies based on the depth and location of the iron ore, but once it is mined, the refining process begins. The first stage involves processing the ore in a blast furnace, where it is heated and purified to prepare it for steelmaking. For more information on steel you can check out our other blog – Mild Steel Vs Stainless Steel: What’s The Difference?

Where are metals found and expertly fabricated? Right here at Salamander Fabrications! 

Where does metal come from before it enters our workshops? Well, we don’t always know the origin (in terms of the country) where the key elements were originally extracted. But what we do know is the quality of the metals that leave our workshop before they go on to fulfil their applications. 

Whether you require laser cutting services, expert welding services or metal folding services, our expert team will use their decades of experience to ensure your exact needs are met. The team here at Salamander Fabrications is more than happy to share their expertise and talk to you more about some of the services we have to offer. 

Visit our contact page or just give us a ring on 01484 843599. Or you can email us at sales@salamanderfabs.com.