2. / Columbia Encyclopedia
  3. / Earth and the Environment
  4. / Minerals, Mining, and Metallurgy
  5. / Metallurgy and Mining: Terms and Concepts
  6. / amalgam

amalgam

amalgam əmălˈgəm [key], alloy containing mercury. The alloy may be liquid or solid, depending on the proportion of mercury, although all naturally occurring amalgams, i.e., those of gold and silver, are solid. Amalgams are widely used. Silver, gold, and copper amalgams are used in dentistry, and tin amalgam is used in making mirrors.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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