We all come into contact with metal every day as we spend our money and take it for granted not fully understanding the complexity of its chemistry. 1p and 2p coins are made from steel which is copper coated.

5p, 10p, 20p and 50p coins are made from Cupro Nickel - an alloy of copper (75%) that contains nickel (25%) and strengthening elements, such as iron and manganese. £1 coins are made from Nickel Brass - alloy of approximately 70% copper, 24.5% zinc, and 5.5% nickel. The £2 coins are made from a Cupro Nickel Inner and Nickel Brass outer. The Royal Mint in the UK processes some 18,000 tonnes of metal per year.

Where do metals come from?

Most pure metals, like aluminium, silver and copper, come from the Earth’s crust. They are found in ores – solid materials called minerals, usually occurring in rock, from which the pure metal has to be extracted. The properties of pure metals can be improved by mixing them with other metals to make alloys. The picture left is of Nickel in ore, Vital as an alloying constituent of stainless steel, it plays a key role in the chemical and aerospace industries and where corrosion resistance is required.

Leading producers include Australia, Canada, Norway and Russia. Large reserves are found in Australia, Cuba, New Caledonia, Canada, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Russia.

Gold & Pricing

Gold is a highly sought after and invest able precious metal for coinage, jewelry, and other arts since the beginning of recorded history.

The metal occurs as nuggets or grains in rocks, in veins and in alluvial deposits. Gold is dense, soft, shiny and the most malleable and ductile pure metal known. 1 single gram can be beaten into a sheet of 1 square meter, or an ounce into 300 square feet. Gold leaf can be beaten thin enough to become translucent. The transmitted light appears greenish blue, because gold strongly reflects yellow and red. Such semi-transparent sheets also strongly reflect infrared light, making them useful as infrared (radiant heat) shields in visors of heat-resistant suits, and in sun-visors for spacesuits. The picture right is gold in its native form.

The price of a gold bar (13kg) at the Bank of England on 13/11/09 was £ 265,619.00 (£20,432.23 per kg) in comparison to steel @ £0.65 per kg and Stainless Steel Grd 304L @ £3.25 per kg.

Our Metal Usage

The primary metal or “material/alloy” we use is stainless steel which in context is a trade name. There are numerous types as there are with other “materials/alloys” such as steel and they are all alloyed with other metals to give varying ranges of use. The choice of material for your project is very important as are its secondary finishes and
should not be taken lightly.

Useful Links

http://www.metalprices.com/FreeSite/metals/nickelalloy/nickelalloy.asp
http://www.steelonthenet.com/prices
http://www.ft.com
http://www.goldprice.org
http://www.wikipedia.org
http://www.bssa.org.uk
http://www.nickelinstitute.org
http://www.metalsforum.org