Who Discovered Metal?

The answer depends upon the metal in question. And one thing that must be kept in mind should be: metals can not be invented, they can only be discovered. Eighty-six metals are known by now. Some of the metals like the gold, silver, iron etc are known since the antiquity; while others are accidental discoveries or results of conscious research of researchers. In some cases, the answer to the problem gets a little complicated. This happens in those cases when a scientist predicts the existence of a metal and another discovers it.

Metals are shiny objects and their properties include luster, malleability, ductility, conductivity etc. The terms ‘metals and non metals’ were first coined by a French chemist. Metals are divided into these categories:

(1) Base metals: are chemically very reactive metals and some of them react even with water e.g. sodium, lithium etc.

(2) Ferrous metals: metals which show iron-like magnetic properties, e.g. iron, titanium etc.

(3) Noble metals: they don’t easily react with any acid or the atmosphere e.g. silver, platinum etc.

(4) Precious metals: metals with are rare, useful and thus expensive e.g. gold, platinum, titanium etc.

Metals are not found in pure forms in the earth. They are present as ores in the nature. Ores are oxides or sulfides of metals. After extraction, a process is followed, which differs from metal to metal, which takes out pure metal from their ores.

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