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{{short description|Metal alloy with copper as its principal component}}File:Clevelandart 1990.31.jpg|thumb|250px|Example of a copper alloy object: a Neo-Sumerian "Foundation Nail" of Gudea, circa 2100 BC, made in the lost-wax cast method, overall: 17.5 x 4.5 x 7.3 cm, probably from modern-day Iraq, now in the Cleveland Museum of Art (Cleveland, OhioOhioCopper alloys are metal alloys that have copper as their principal component. They have high resistance against corrosion. Of the large number of different types, the best known traditional types are bronze, where tin is a significant addition, and brass, using zinc instead. Both of these are imprecise terms. Latten is a further term, mostly used for coins with a very high copper content. Today the term copper alloy tends to be substituted for all of these, especially by museums.British Museum, "Scope Note" for "copper alloy"Copper deposits are abundant in most parts of the world (globally 70 parts per million), and it has therefore always been a relatively cheap metal. By contrast, tin is relatively rare (2 parts per million), and in Europe and the Mediterranean region, and even in prehistoric times had to be traded considerable distances, and was expensive, sometimes virtually unobtainable. Zinc was somewhere between these two in terms of rarity at 75 parts per million, but often harder to extract from its ores. Bronze with the ideal percentage of tin was therefore expensive and the proportion of tin often reduced to save cost. The discovery and exploitation of the Bolivian tin belt in the 19th century made tin far cheaper, although forecasts for future supplies are gloomy. There are as many as 400 different copper and copper alloy compositions loosely grouped into the categories: copper, high copper alloy, brasses, bronzes, copper nickels, copper–nickel–zinc (nickel silver), leaded copper, and special alloys.

Composition

The similarity in external appearance of the various alloys, along with the different combinations of elements used when making each alloy, can lead to confusion when categorizing the different compositions. The following table lists the principal alloying element for four of the more common types used in modern industry, along with the name for each type. Historical types, such as those that characterize the Bronze Age, are vaguer as the mixtures were generally variable.{| class="wikitable"|+Classification of copper and its alloys!Family!!Principal alloying element!!UNS numbers

	|C1xxxx–C4xxxx,C66400–C69800

Phosphor bronze>	|C5xxxx

Aluminium bronzes>	|C60600–C64200

Silicon bronzes>	|C64700–C66100

Cupronickel, nickel silvers>	|C7xxxx

{| class="wikitable"|+Mechanical properties of common copper alloysLyons, William C. and Plisga, Gary J. (eds.) Standard Handbook of Petroleum & Natural Gas Engineering, Elsevier, 2006! Name! Nominal composition (percentages)! Form and condition! Yield strength (0.2% offset, ksi)! Tensile strength (ksi)! Elongation in 2 inches (percent)! Hardness (Brinell scale)! Comments

Copper (ASTM B1, B2, B3, B152, B124, R133)	Cu 99.9| Annealed| 10| 32| 45| 42	Electrical equipment, roofing, screens

| Cold-drawn| 40| 45| 15| 90| Cold-rolled| 40| 46| 5| 100| Gilding metal (ASTM B36)| Cu 95.0, Zn 5.0| Cold-rolled| 50| 56| 5| 114

Bullet#Modern bullets>bullet jackets

| Cartridge brass (ASTM B14, B19, B36, B134, B135)| Cu 70.0, Zn 30.0| Cold-rolled| 63| 76| 8| 155

radiators, hardware, electrical, Cartridge (firearms)>drawn cartridge cases.

| Phosphor bronze (ASTM B103, B139, B159)| Cu 89.75, Sn 10.0, P 0.25| Spring temper| —| 122| 4| 241| High fatigue-strength and spring qualities

Yellow or High brass (ASTM B36, B134, B135)	Cu 65.0, Zn 35.0| Annealed| 18| 48| 60| 55	Good corrosion resistance

| Cold-drawn| 55| 70| 15| 115| Cold-rolled (HT)| 60| 74| 10| 180

Manganese bronze (ASTM 138)	Cu 58.5, Zn 39.2, Fe 1.0, Sn 1.0, Mn 0.3| Annealed| 30| 60| 30| 95	Forgings

| Cold-drawn| 50| 80| 20| 180

Naval brass (ASTM B21)	Cu 60.0, Zn 39.25, Sn 0.75| Annealed| 22| 56| 40| 90	Resistance to salt corrosion

| Cold-drawn| 40| 65| 35| 150| Muntz metal (ASTM B111)| Cu 60.0, Zn 40.0| Annealed| 20| 54| 45| 80

Condenser (heat transfer)>Condensor tubes

Aluminium bronze (ASTM B169 alloy A, B124, B150)	Cu 92.0, Al 8.0| Annealed| 25| 70| 60| 80	—

| Hard| 65| 105| 7| 210

Beryllium copper (ASTM B194, B196, B197)	Cu 97.75, Be 2.0, Co or Ni 0.25| Annealed, solution-treated| 32| 70| 45	Rockwell scale>Rockwell)	Electrical, valves, pumps, oilfield tools, aerospace landing gears, robotic welding, mold making National Bronze & Metals | Beryllium Copper

| Cold-rolled| 104| 110| 5| B81 (Rockwell)| Free-cutting brass| Cu 62.0, Zn 35.5, Pb 2.5| Cold-drawn| 44| 70| 18| B80 (Rockwell)| Screws, nuts, gears, keys

Nickel silver (ASTM B122)	Cu 65.0, Zn 17.0, Ni 18.0| Annealed| 25| 58| 40| 70	Hardware

| Cold-rolled| 70| 85| 4| 170| Nickel silver (ASTM B149)| Cu 76.5, Ni 12.5, Pb 9.0, Sn 2.0| Cast| 18| 35| 15| 55

Copper Alloy Data

Cupronickel (ASTM B111, B171)	Cu 88.35, Ni 10.0, Fe 1.25, Mn 0.4| Annealed| 22| 44| 45| –	Condensor, salt-water pipes

| Cold-drawn tube| 57| 60| 15| –| Cupronickel| Cu 70.0, Ni 30.0| Wrought| –| –| –| –| Heat-exchange equipment, valves| Ounce metalCast copper alloy C83600 (Ounce Metal) substech.com Copper alloy C83600 (also known as "Red brass" or "composition metal") (ASTM B62)| Cu 85.0, Zn 5.0, Pb 5.0, Sn 5.0| Cast| 17| 37| 25| 60| —|Gunmetal (known as "red brass" in US)|Varies Cu 80-90%, Zn