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Prove Your Metal: Top 10 Strongest Metals on Earth

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Top 10 Strongest Metals on Earth

Prove Your Metal: Top 10 Strongest Metals on Earth

The use of metals and the advancement of human civilization have gone hand in hand — and throughout the ages, each metal has proved its worth based on its properties and applications.

Today’s visualization from Viking Steel Structures outlines the 10 strongest metals on Earth and their applications.

What are Metals?

Metals are solid materials that are typically hard, shiny, malleable, and ductile, with good electrical and thermal conductivity. But not all metal is equal, which makes their uses as varied as their individual properties and benefits.

The periodic table below presents a simple view of the relationship between metals, nonmetals, and metalloids, which you can easily identify by color.

The Periodic Table

While 91 of the 118 elements of the periodic table are considered to be metals, only a few of them stand out as the strongest.

What Makes a Metal Strong?

The strength of a metal depends on four properties:

  1. Tensile Strength: How well a metal resists being pulled apart
  2. Compressive Strength: How well a material resists being squashed together
  3. Yield Strength: How well a rod or beam of a particular metal resists bending and permanent damage
  4. Impact Strength: The ability to resist shattering upon impact with another object or surface

Here are the top 10 metals based on these properties.

The Top 10 Strongest Metals

RankType of MetalExample UseAtomic WeightMelting Point
#1TungstenMaking bullets and missiles183.84 u3422°C / 6192 °F
#2 SteelConstruction of railroads, roads, other infrastructure and appliancesn/a1371°C / 2500°F
#3ChromiumManufacturing stainless steel51.96 u1907°C / 3465°F,
#4TitaniumIn the aerospace Industry, as a lightweight material with strength47.87 u1668°C / 3032°F
#5IronUsed to make bridges, electricity, pylons, bicycle chains, cutting tools and rifle barrels55.85 u1536°C / 2800°F
#6Vanadium80% of vanadium is alloyed with iron to make steel shock and corrosion resistance50.942 u1910°C / 3470°F
#7LutetiumUsed as catalysts in petroleum production.174.96 u1663 °C / 3025°F
#8ZirconiumUsed in nuclear power stations.91.22 u1850°C / 3.362°F
#9OsmiumAdded to platinum or indium to make them harder.190.2 u3000°C / 5,400°F
#10TantalumUsed as an alloy due to its high melting point and anti-corrosion.180.94 u3,017°C / 5462°F

Out of the Forge and into Tech: Metals for the Future

While these metals help to forge the modern world, there is a new class of metals that are set to create a new future.

Rare Earth elements (REEs) are a group of metals do not rely on their strength, but instead their importance in applications in new technologies, including those used for green energy.

MetalUses
NeodymiumMagnets containing neodymium are used in green technologies such as the manufacture of wind turbines and hybrid cars.
LanthanumUsed in catalytic converters in cars, enabling them to run at high temperatures
CeriumThis element is used in camera and telescope lenses.
PraseodymiumUsed to create strong metals for use in aircraft engines.
GadoliniumUsed in X-ray and MRI scanning systems, and also in television screens.
Yttrium, terbium, europiumMaking televisions and computer screens and other devices that have visual displays.

If the world is going to move towards a more sustainable and efficient future, metals—both tough and smart—are going to be critical. Each one will serve a particular purpose to build the infrastructure and technology for the next generation.

Our ability to deploy technology with the right materials will test the world’s mettle to meet the challenges of tomorrow—so choose wisely.

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How Much Gold is in Fort Knox?

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

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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.

ReservesGold (Tonnes)
🇺🇸 U.S. Reserves8,133
🏛️ Fort Knox4,175
🇨🇳 China2,280
🇯🇵 Japan846
🇨🇭 Switzerland1,040
🇮🇳 India876
🇰🇷 South Korea104
🇸🇬 Singapore220
🇧🇷 Brazil130
🇲🇽 Mexico120
🇹🇭 Thailand235

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.

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

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

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

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.

CountrySteel 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.

Learn More on the Voronoi App 

If you enjoyed this graphic, be sure to check out this chart illustrating the GDP impact of Trump’s tariffs on China.

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