In article ,
Mary Fisher wrote:
My preferred Chambers says "extended to mean a mixture of metals and
non-metals". I've always personally thought of steel as an alloy of
iron, the alternative nomenclature presumably being a mixture (it's
not technically a compound). Especially as many steels do contain
other metals.

All steels contain other elements.

Steel isn't an element. It's basically iron and carbon.

But you get some described as 'alloy steel' - which seems strange if it's
already classified as an alloy.

--
*If at first you don't succeed, redefine success.

Dave Plowman London SW
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