In the article presented below, the relevance of Base metal in the current context will be analyzed. Base metal has been the object of study and interest in various fields, whether in history, science, technology or the arts. Over time, Base metal has played a crucial role in the evolution of society, significantly influencing the way people interact, think and act. Through a detailed analysis, we aim to address the importance of Base metal in different areas, its impact on daily life and its relevance in the contemporary world.
A base metal is a common and inexpensive metal, as opposed to a precious metal such as gold or silver.[1] In numismatics, coins often derived their value from the precious metal content; however, base metals have also been used in coins in the past and today.[2]
In contrast to noble metals, base metals may be distinguished by oxidizing or corroding relatively easily and reacting variably with diluted hydrochloric acid (HCl) to form hydrogen. Examples include iron, nickel, lead and zinc. Copper is also considered a base metal because it oxidizes relatively easily, although it does not react with HCl.
In mining and economics, the term base metals refers to industrial non-ferrous metals excluding precious metals. These include copper, lead, nickel and zinc.[3]
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency is more inclusive in its definition of commercial base metals. Its list includes—in addition to copper, lead, nickel, and zinc—the following metals: iron and steel (an alloy), aluminium, tin, tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, cobalt, bismuth, cadmium, titanium, zirconium, antimony, manganese, beryllium, chromium, germanium, vanadium, gallium, hafnium, indium, niobium, rhenium, and thallium, and their alloys.[4]
In the context of plated metal products, the base metal underlies the plating metal, as copper underlies silver in Sheffield plate.