WHAT IS FERROUS
METAL?
Ferrous metal is a classification of metal composed of iron.
It is mostly found in things we usually see and use every day. It is also the most abundant of all commercial
metals, it is found in things used in the house like knives, utensils and other
kitchen materials, and tools and hardware we use around the house. It can also
be found in constructions, industrial containers, large-scale piping, railroads
and transportation. These primarily are
used for its durability. It covers a broad range of structures and it is the
most abundant in commercial metals.
The word ferrous is derived from a Latin word ferrum
which means “containing iron”. There are characteristics of ferrous metal these
are mild steel, carbon steel, stainless steel, cast iron, and wrought iron. In history, “Ferrous metallurgy involves
processes and alloys based on iron. It began far back in prehistory. The
earliest surviving iron artifacts, from the 4th millennium BC in Egypt, were
made from meteoritic iron-nickel. It is not known when or where the smelting
of iron from ores began, but by the end of the 2nd millennium BC iron was being
produced from iron ores from China to Africa south of the Sahara. The use
of wrought iron (worked iron) was known by the 1st millennium BC. During the
medieval period, means were found in Europe of producing wrought iron from cast
iron (in this context known as pig iron) using finery forges. For all these
processes, charcoal was required as fuel.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrous_metallurgy)
CHARACTERISTICS OF
FERROUS METAL
With high amount of carbon used in creating ferrous metal,
it is vulnerable to rust when generally exposed to elements and moisture. Wrought iron and stainless steel are two of the
exception since the first resists rust due to purity and the latter has
chromium which protects rusts.
This type of metal is also used in motor and electrical
applications because of its magnetic properties.
KINDS OF FERROUS
METAL
STEEL
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFN55H3qlk_ghF_hE-wyd5ghPPDLpPdm_x6ZnQfDaeg65DUm2rjcWTCWBpvZbnbGvIbLhEyhCIEXxlhsX5QNfHbROxsbzsvkxy8pWtwLQc0lH62Xlr6OeIj7WEfCFBYb1UgwUgancQwGrv/s320/mild_steel_angle_bars.jpg)
CARBON STEEL
Used in manufacturing of machine tools, drills, blades,
taps, and springs and can keep a sharp cutting edge.
This is composed of chromium,
nickel and titanium for strength and durability. This is also used in construction,
machine tools and electrical components.
CAST IRON
WROUGHT IRON
Ferrous
metals are widely recycled all over the world and are very useful. In fact most
of the ferrous scrap metal tends to be in good supply rather than the
non-ferrous metal (due to somewhat harder to come by and more difficult to
create) which is why non-ferrous metal has a higher demand than the
ferrous metal. The prices of the ferrous
metal tend to be lower compared to the non-ferrous metals, it’s because the ferrous
metal namely steel and iron alloys are constantly being recycled in high volume
all over the globe, and the price for these material stay fairly constant
on a month-to-month basis, dropping or raising only slightly.
Citation:
Cold-Form Steel Design Yu, Wei-wen (4th ed.). (2010)
Coal and Steel in Western Europe Pounds, Norman John Greville & Parker, William (1957). Bloomington, Ind. Indiana University Press
All
Metal and Forge Group 2013-2016 L.A. Weiss., from http://www.steelforge.com/literature/ferrousnon-ferrous-materials-textbook/ferrous-metals/
Wikipedia
Ferrous Metallurgy from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrous_metallurgy
Year 10 Manufacturing (Resistant Materials) Ferrous
and Non-Ferrous MetalsTable from http://www.design-technology.org/CDT10metalslesson.htm
Castle
Metals Ferrous & Non-Ferrous Metals and their Uses 2016 A.M Castle &
Co. July 31, 2012 from http://www.castlemetalseurope.com/blog/ferrous-nonferrous-metals-uses/
Alton
Materials The differences between ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal 2013
Prairie State Salvage & Recycling Inc. DBA Alton Materials. March 12, 2013
from http://www.altonmaterials.com/the-differences-between-ferrous-and-non-ferrous-scrap-metal/
Metal
Supermarkets THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FERROUS AND NON-FERROUS METAL 2016 Metal Supermarkets
IP Inc. September 23,2015 from https://www.metalsupermarkets.com/the-difference-between-ferrous-and-non-ferrous-metal/
Photos:
Ferrous Metal Collage
Recycling International. (2016, May 17). Steal Scrap. Retrieved from http://www.recyclinginternational.com/system/files/news/1605/steel_scrap.jpg
Tucson Iron & Metal. (2015). ThinkstockPhotos-97784681. Retrieved from http://www.tucsoniron.com/wp-content/uploads/ThinkstockPhotos-97784681.jpg
Lynn Rosack. (2008, Oct. 8). 2a0de2cc747776cce901e71d54bfe1a6. Retrieved from Worth Point: http://www.worthpoint.com/files/58/2a0de2cc747776cce901e71d54bfe1a6.jpg
Lauren. (2013, March 29). Castiron. Retrieved from Direct Metals Recycling: http://directmetalsrecycling.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/castiron.jpg
Ferrous Metal Collage
Recycling International. (2016, May 17). Steal Scrap. Retrieved from http://www.recyclinginternational.com/system/files/news/1605/steel_scrap.jpg
Tucson Iron & Metal. (2015). ThinkstockPhotos-97784681. Retrieved from http://www.tucsoniron.com/wp-content/uploads/ThinkstockPhotos-97784681.jpg
Lynn Rosack. (2008, Oct. 8). 2a0de2cc747776cce901e71d54bfe1a6. Retrieved from Worth Point: http://www.worthpoint.com/files/58/2a0de2cc747776cce901e71d54bfe1a6.jpg
Lauren. (2013, March 29). Castiron. Retrieved from Direct Metals Recycling: http://directmetalsrecycling.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/castiron.jpg
Steel
Prime Products. (2012). Mild Steel Angle Bars. Retrieved from http://www.primeproducts.co.in/en/menu/products/mild-steel-beams/
Carbon Steel
Pearlite Steel Differences between Carbon Steel
and Stainless Steel Pipe. (2016). Seamless Tubes Tubing2. Retrieved from http://pearlitesteel.com/carbon-steel-vs-stainless-steel/
Alloy Steel
Excel Metal & Engg Industries. Alloy Steel Pipes. Retrieved from Mindiamart: http://2.imimg.com/data2/EF/BW/MY-2632460/alloy-steel-pipes-tubes-250x250.jpg
Cast Iron
Indiamart Cast Iron Bars 1996-2016
IndiaMART InterMESH Ltd. Retrieved from http://dir.indiamart.com/impcat/continuous-cast-iron-bar.html
Wrought Iron
Rural
Blacksmith Wrought Iron Steve Kellog. Retrieved from http://ruralblacksmith.blogspot.com/2010/06/wrought-iron.html
CONTRIBUTION:
Amar, Jrose (contributed pictures and references, proof-read the article)
Calape, Rhea (contributed references from websites)
Cantillas, Christine Mae (composed the blog)
Manalo, Leile Glad (contributed references from websites and books)
Taboada, Faith Rosemel (contributed references from websites and books)