Ferrous and non-ferrous metals

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One method of classifying metals is by their content, and one common division is into ferrous metals and non-ferrous metals. The term ferrous is derived from the Latin "Ferrum" which means "containing iron", thus ferrous metals contain iron and non ferrous metals do not. Ferrous metals may be pure iron, like wrought iron, or they may be alloys of iron and other elements. Steel, being an alloy of iron and carbon, would therefore be a ferrous metal.

Ferrous metals are often magnetic, but this property is not in and of itself sufficient to classify a metal as ferrous or non-ferrous. Austenitic stainless steel, a ferrous metal, is non-magnetic, while cobalt is magnetic but non-ferrous. However since ferrous metals are the most common magnetic materials, magnets are commonly used to separate them from non-ferrous metals and other materials.

Common ferrous metals include the various irons and steels. Common non-ferrous metals include aluminium, tin, copper, zinc, and brass, an alloy of copper and zinc. Some precious metals such as silver, gold, and platinum are also non-ferrous.