ABSTRACT
Aluminium, copper, tin, zinc, lead and manganese are the chief constituents of non-ferrous alloys. Satisfactory properties are derived by alloying copper, manganese, zinc, silicon, and nickel with aluminium. Aluminium is commonly alloyed with copper or zinc to improve its mechanical properties. In reverberatory furnance the sulphides are oxidized and the cuprous oxide exerts cleansing action on the base metals in the crude copper. In buildings copper is used for roofing, sheeting and damp proofing. Its use is restricted in the appliances and connections used for water supplies in houses. Some of the important alloys made with copper are brass and bronze. Zinc is used to produce brass, German silver, some of the bronzes, as a protective coating on iron and steel, boiler tubes, fruit jar covers, cans for resisting corrosion and for negative pole pieces of batteries. Nickel is used in making nickel steels, coin, German silver, wires, plating, as catalyst and for moisture-proof packings.
