Base-metal meaning

Any metal from the group of metals that includes copper, aluminum, lead, nickel, tin, and zinc. Traders on the London Metal Exchange, as well as other exchanges, such as the New York Mercantile Exchange, trade futures contracts on base metals. Base metals are in contrast to precious metals, such as gold and silver.
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(chemistry) Any metal at the lower end of the electrochemical series that oxidizes readily.
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(metallurgy) The metal to be welded (rather than that used to weld).
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A common or inexpensive metal.
  • (chiefly alchemy) One that was hoped to be transmuted into a precious metal.
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Attributive form of base metal.

Base-metal sample.

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Base-metal Sentence Examples

  • Metalliferous products containing silver arise in many operations; the chief products which may yield silver economically are copper and lead mattes, burnt argentiferous pyrites and certain drosses and scums. Argentiferous ores consist of silver-bearing base-metal minerals and gangue.

  • The ore, supposed to have been salt-roasted, is charged loosely into the leaching vat and treated with water (to which sulphuric acid or copper sulphate may have been added), to remove soluble salts, which might later on be precipitated with the silver (base-metal chlorides), or overcharge the solution (sodium chloride and sulphate), or interfere with the solvent power (sodium sulphate).

  • Even the best "fine" silver of commerce contains a few thousandth-parts of copper or other base metal.

  • Old-fashioned bristle shaving brush; shaving bowl; cut throat razor; base-metal pocket watch.

  • We can also supply a range of base metal clasps and 9ct gold and silver clasps, pearls, cultured pearls and simulated pearls.

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