Elements by Visual Capitalist

20 Common Metal Alloys and What They’re Made Of

Real Assets

20 Common Metal Alloys and What They’re Made Of

Published

6 years ago

on

March 8, 2019

By

Jeff Desjardins

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Every day, you’re likely to encounter metals that cannot be found anywhere on the periodic table.

You may play a brass instrument while wearing a white gold necklace – or maybe you cook with a cast iron skillet and store your leftovers in a stainless steel refrigerator.

It’s likely that you know these common metal alloys by name, and you can probably even imagine what they look and feel like. But do you know what base metals these alloys are made of, exactly?

Common Metal Alloys

Today’s infographic comes to us from Alan’s Factory Outlet, and it breaks down metal and non-metal components that go into popular metal alloys.

In total, 20 alloys are highlighted, and they range from household names (i.e. bronze, sterling silver) to lesser-known metals that are crucial for industrial purposes (i.e. solder, gunmetal, magnox).

20 Common Metal Alloys and What They

Humans make metal alloys for various reasons.

Some alloys have long-standing historical significance. For example, electrum is a naturally-occurring alloy of gold and silver (with trace amounts of copper) that was used to make the very first metal coins in ancient history.

However, most of the common metal alloys on the above list are actually human inventions that are used to achieve practical purposes. Some were innovated by brilliant metallurgists, while others were discovered by fluke, but they’ve all had an ongoing impact on our species over time.

Alloys with an Impact

The Bronze Age (3,000 BC – 1,200 BC) is an important historical period that is rightfully named after one game-changing development: the ability to use bronze. This alloy, made from copper and tin, was extremely useful to our ancestors because it is much stronger and harder than its component metals.

Steel is another great example of an alloy that has changed the world. It is one of the most important and widely-used metals today. Without steel, modern civilization (skyscrapers, bridges, etc.) simply wouldn’t be possible.

While nobody knows exactly who invented steel, the alloy has a widely-known cousin that was likely invented in somewhat accidental circumstances.

In 1912, English metallurgist Harry Brearley had been tasked with finding a more erosion-resistant steel for a small arms manufacturer, trying many variations of alloys with none seeming to be suitable. However, in his scrap metal heap – where almost all of the metals he tried were rusting – there was one gun barrel that remained astonishingly untouched.

The metal alloy – now known to the world as stainless steel – was a step forward in creating a corrosion-resistant steel that is now used in many applications ranging from medical uses to heavy industry.

Real Assets

How Much Gold is in Fort Knox?

The United States Bullion Depository holds more than half of the Treasury’s $428B in gold reserves.

Published

4 weeks ago

on

March 26, 2025

By

Bruno Venditti

In this graphic we compare Fort Knox’s gold reserves with central bank gold reserves worldwide.

How Much Gold Is in Fort Knox?

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

U.S. President Donald Trump has promised to visit Fort Knox “to make sure the gold is there.”

Officially, the United States Bullion Depository (commonly known as Fort Knox) holds over half of the Treasury’s $428 billion gold reserves.

In this graphic, we put that amount into perspective by comparing Fort Knox’s reserves with central bank gold reserves worldwide. The data comes from the U.S. Mint and the World Gold Council. For illustrative purposes, we considered a pallet of 1,190 gold bars (400 troy ounces each) weighing approximately 14.8 tonnes.

What Is Fort Knox?

Located in Kentucky, Fort Knox is a U.S. Army installation that serves as the primary storage site for America’s gold reserves. The facility was established in the 1930s to protect gold from potential foreign attacks.

The first gold shipment arrived in 1937 via U.S. Mail from the Philadelphia Mint and the New York Assay Office. During World War II, Fort Knox safeguarded important U.S. documents, including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. It has also housed international treasures, such as the Magna Carta and the crown, sword, scepter, orb, and cape of St. Stephen, King of Hungary, before they were returned in 1978.

Currently, it holds 4,175 tonnes of gold, equivalent to nearly half of China’s gold reserves and four times the Swiss central bank’s reserves.

Reserves	Gold (Tonnes)
🇺🇸 U.S. Reserves	8,133
🏛️ Fort Knox	4,175
🇨🇳 China	2,280
🇯🇵 Japan	846
🇨🇭 Switzerland	1,040
🇮🇳 India	876
🇰🇷 South Korea	104
🇸🇬 Singapore	220
🇧🇷 Brazil	130
🇲🇽 Mexico	120
🇹🇭 Thailand	235

Only small samples have been removed for purity testing during audits; no major transfers have occurred for years.

Gold Bar Specifications

Size: 7 inches × 3 5/8 inches × 1 3/4 inches
Weight: 400 ounces (27.5 pounds)

Extreme Security

Only a select few know the full security procedures, and no single person knows how to fully open the vault.

In 1974, a group of journalists and a Congressional delegation were allowed inside—marking the first official visit since Fort Knox’s creation. Previously, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was the only person other than authorized personnel to access the vaults.

In 2017, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin, and several Congressional representatives became the second group to visit the vault.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If gold was shared equally, how much would you get? Check out this graphic to find out.

Real Assets

Charted: Top Suppliers of Aluminum and Steel to the U.S.

President Trump has imposed a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports.

Published

2 months ago

on

February 17, 2025

By

Bruno Venditti

Charted: Top U.S. Suppliers of Aluminum and Steel

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, marking one of the most discussed measures of his first month back in the White House.

But which countries are most affected by these tariffs?

This map illustrates the top suppliers of aluminum and steel to the United States in 2024. The data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau. Aluminum includes unwrought aluminum, plates, sheets, and strips; bars, rods, and profiles; foil; wire; pipes and tubes; castings and forgings; and tube or pipe fittings.

Canada: The Largest Partner

Canada is by far the top supplier of both steel and aluminum to the United States. The neighboring country exported $9.4 billion worth of aluminum to the U.S. in 2024, significantly ahead of the second-largest exporter, the European Union, which exported $1.5 billion.

Canada also exported $7.1 billion worth of steel last year, compared to $7 billion from the European Union.

Country	Steel Imports (USD)	Aluminum Imports (USD)
🇨🇦 Canada	$7.1B	$9.4B
🇲🇽 Mexico	$3.5B	$397M
🇧🇷 Brazil	$3.0B	-
🇨🇳 China	$799M	$809M
🇹🇼 Taiwan	$1.3B	-
🇰🇷 South Korea	$2.9B	$781M
🇩🇪 Germany	$1.9B	$318M
🇯🇵 Japan	$1.7B	-
🇮🇳 India	$489M	$445M
🇪🇺 European Union	$7B	$1.5B
🇦🇪 UAE	-	$917M
🇧🇭 Bahrain	-	$535M
🇦🇷 Argentina	-	$468M
🇹🇭 Thailand	-	$271M
🇬🇧 UK	$440M	-

Mexico, South Korea, and Brazil are also among the top suppliers of steel to the United States. Meanwhile, the country imports aluminum from other key partners, including China, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Bahrain, and Argentina.

A recent report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) noted that the U.S. produces less than 2% of the world’s primary aluminum.