Material Library

The Material Library collects information about materials used in the technical workshops of the Rijksakademie. The aim is to create a recource that promotes sustainable use of these materials by our residents. We also like to share this information with others in the field.

The material bank is part of the Tech Fellowship programme launched in 2022. Each year, three tech fellows work on year-long research into craft, materials or new technologies with an emphasis on sustainable working methods.

techfellowship@rijksakademie.nl

		What is it?	Density (g/cm³)	Melting Point (°C)	Magnetic (Y/N)		Direct CO₂ Emmissions (t CO₂ / tonne)	GHG emmitted from processing (t CO₂ eq / tonne)	Entire Sector CO₂ Emmissions (Mt / year)	Energy Consumption (GJ / tonne)	Water Usage (liter / kg)		Global Reserves (Mt)	Global Production (Mt)	Top Producing Countries	Byproducts	Recyclability (%)	End of Life Recycling Rate (EU) (%)	Global Recycling Rate (%)
Metal	Steel (Mild Carbon)	Steel = Iron (Fe) + <2% carbon (C). The vast majority of carbon steels contain ~ 0.25% carbon, in addition to other alloying elements such as: manganese, nickel & chromium. There are over 3.500 different grades of steel in use today. Iron is the 4th most common element in Earth’s crust (~5.63 %), and approximately 98% of mined iron ore goes into steelmaking. Carbon steel is the most used material in the Rijksakademie metal workshop.	7,85	1425—1540	Y	Primary Production	1,91	1,53	2600	20,99	23—69	Iron (crude ore)	180000	3016	Australia Brazil China India	Iron Ore Tailings (IOT) 1.4 Bt / year	N/A	N/A	N/A
Metal						Secondary Production	0,8	N/A	1625	5,87	13,8—41,4	Crude Steel (product)	N/A	1849,7	China India Japan United States	Slag 400 kg / tonne steel	100	62	85
	Aluminium	Aluminium is a chemical element (Al). Aluminium never occurs in the metallic form in nature, but rather its compounds are omnipresent. Aluminium is often alloyed with metals such as: copper, magnesium, and silicon and there are over 500 registered alloys. It is the 3rd most abundant element in Earth's crust (8.3%), and it is the 2nd most used material in the Rijksakademie metal workshop.	2,7	660	N	Primary Production	1,6	6,72	270	61,2	495—1490	Bauxite (ore)	31000	401,5	Guinea Australia China Brazil	Red Mud 2–2,5 tons / ton aluminum	N/A	N/A	N/A
						Secondary Production	0,13	N/A	N/A	3,06	N/A	Aluminium (product)	N/A	70,7	China Russia Canada UAE	Salt Slag 0,5 tons / ton of secondary aluminum produced	100	51	76
	Copper (99.99%)	Copper is a chemical element (Cu). While copper can be found in nature in a usable form, it is often found in minerals such as chalcopyrite and bornite. Copper was historically worked by humans, and alloyed with tin to create bronze. While only making up 0.0068% of the Earth's crust, copper's exceptional thermal + electrical conductivity, ductility, malleability, and color, make it our 3rd most used metal in the Rijksakademie metal workshop.	8,94	1083	N	Primary Production	3.8	1,4	112	47	293—324	Copper (Mined)	1	22.2	Chile Peru Democratic Republic of the Congo China	Ore Degradation	N/A	N/A	N/A
						Secondary Production	0,35	N/A	N/A	7.05	N/A	Copper (Refined)	N/A	25.8	China Chile Democratic Republic of the Congo Japan	Slag 2,5 Mt / year Tailings 1.5 Mt / year	100	28	40

See the Research Document for more details.

The research and the database of metallic materials has been conceived by Sydnie Nislow, 2023 Tech Fellow.

Last update: June 27, 2024
Feedback? materials@rijksakademie.nl

Disclaimer

This website is intended for general informational purposes only. All material data has been collected from various sources to the best of our ability. However, we do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented.

Data Sources and Responsibility
While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, we cannot be held responsible for any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in the data. Furthermore, links to external websites are provided for convenience and informational purposes only, and we do not endorse or assume any responsibility for the content of these external sites.

Geographical Limitation
Please note that the data presented on this website is derived predominantly from European based organizations. As such, the data may provide a skewed perspective and should not be taken as comprehensive of all countries and/or regions.