Metalleri

Metalleri, or metallurgy in English, is the branch of science and engineering concerned with metals and their properties, production, and use. It covers the extraction of metals from ores, refining, alloy development, and the processing, shaping, and finishing of metal articles. The field seeks to understand how atomic structure and phase composition govern mechanical properties such as strength, hardness, ductility, and toughness, and how processing methods influence performance in service.

Metalleri is commonly divided into three broad areas: pyrometallurgy, which uses high temperatures for smelting and refining; hydrometallurgy, which relies on aqueous chemistry for metal recovery; and electrometallurgy, which employs electrochemical methods for refining and alloy production. A related area, physical metallurgy, studies the relationship between microstructure, heat treatment, and properties, often using microscopy and modeling.

Historically, metalleri has driven technological progress from early copper and bronze working, through ironmaking and steel production, to modern alloys and electronic materials. Core processes include ore mining and beneficiation, smelting, refining, alloying, casting, forming (forging, rolling, extrusion), and heat treatment. Testing and standardization — including hardness, tensile, impact, and corrosion assessments — ensure material performance and safety.

In contemporary practice, sustainability and recycling play important roles. Metal scraps serve as feedstock, reducing energy use and emissions. Advances include metal additive manufacturing, high-entropy alloys, surface engineering, and computational metallography, supported by standards from ISO and ASTM.