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Pot Metal

pot met·​al | ˈpät me-tᵊl

noun

A general term for alloys which do not have gold, silver, or platinum as a components

Pot metal is a blanket term used to define any alloys that are generally more common and don’t contain precious metals such as gold, silver or platinum in them. These metals, also often known as “white metals” have a low-melting point, making them ideal for making cheap and fast castings, and were commonly used to mass produce consumer goods in the late 19th and early 20th century before the development of plastic. Common pot metals include zinc, copper, lead, tin, aluminum, iron, magnesium, and cadmium. These are all metals that are fairly common, inexpensive and easy to recast if needed.

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