málm

Málm is the Icelandic term for metal. In everyday use, metals are elements with metallic bonding and typically high electrical and thermal conductivity, luster, and mechanical malleability. They are usually solid at room temperature (except mercury) and tend to form positive ions in reactions.

Metals occur in the Earth's crust as minerals and are obtained through mining and processing. Primary processing includes smelting, refining, and alloying. Common methods include reduction of oxides by carbon or other agents, and electrolysis for nonferrous or high-purity metals. Alloys combine two or more metals or a metal with a nonmetal to improve properties such as strength, hardness, or corrosion resistance.

Major categories include ferrous metals (iron and steel) and non-ferrous metals (copper, aluminum, zinc, tin, nickel, titanium). Steel and cast iron are alloys of iron and carbon, sometimes with chromium, vanadium, or molybdenum. Brass and bronze are copper alloys with zinc or tin.

Applications span construction (rebar, structural steels), transportation (vehicles, aircraft), electronics (copper wiring, aluminum housings), packaging (tinplate), and energy (batteries, turbines). The material's properties—strength, weight, ductility, hardness, and corrosion resistance—guide choice for a given use.

Recycling is economically important and environmentally favorable; metals can be remelted with little degradation of quality, reducing mining needs and energy use.