whitemetal

Whitemetal is a broad, informal term for pale, soft metal alloys that are easy to cast and machine. It does not refer to a single alloy but to a family of materials used for bearings, molding, and decorative castings. In industrial use, whitemetal most commonly denotes tin-based bearing alloys, often called Babbitt or white-metal bearing alloys. These have tin as the principal constituent (roughly 80–90%), with antimony and trace amounts of copper to provide hardness and embedding properties in bearing surfaces. Lead-containing variants existed historically, but modern compositions frequently reduce or eliminate lead due to toxicity concerns.

In the hobby and consumer market, whitemetal is used to describe pewter-like alloys used for figurines, miniature figures, and inexpensive jewelry. Contemporary pewter typically combines tin with small percentages of copper and antimony, and sometimes bismuth or silver; exact formulations vary by producer.

Other uses include certain low-melting alloys for solders or low-cost die casting, including some zinc-based alloys (such as Zamak) that are sometimes grouped under the term whitemetal by collectors or suppliers. The lack of a fixed composition means that the term is situational rather than technical and can refer to several distinct alloys.

Safety considerations vary by composition; older whitemetals may contain lead, which poses health risks. Proper handling and recycling guidelines should be followed to minimize exposure.