0 containing little or no iron:
non-ferrous metals
The non-ferrous men laboured in hard stable rock that was generally free from methane, but often rich in silica.
The emergence of non-ferrous metals among the most energy-intensive goods may be attributed to the high electricity intensity of their production process.
Although the non-ferrous sectors occupied a sound and stable market position in the first half of the nineteenth century, the coal trade overshadowed their economic status.
As far as the consumption of electric power goes, the most intensive sectors are non-ferrous metals (including aluminium), cement and fertilizers, followed by electricity and iron and steel.
However, the next four do not come in the same order as the direct energy coefficients, being iron and steel, other non-metallic mineral products, non-ferrous metals and paper.
The vast bulk of metallic nickel goes to the steel makers, the iron founders and the non-ferrous foundries.
These are not strategic in the sense that specialised non-ferrous metals, industrial diamonds and industrial sapphires are strategic material.
The use of corrosion resistant non-ferrous alloy tubes which would effectively solve this problem would add up to £10 million a year to manufacturers' costs.
