The two most abundant metallic elements, iron (5.0%) and aluminum (8.

1%), are also the

most commonly used structural metals. Iron is the most-used metal, in part because it can be
extracted from its frequently occurring, enriched ores with considerably less energy penalty
than aluminum, but also because of the very wide range of mechanical properties its alloys
can provide (as will be seen below). The next 15 elements in frequency, found at least in
parts per thousand, include most common engineering metals and alloys: calcium (3.6%),
magnesium (2.1%), titanium (0.63%), manganese (0.10), chromium (0.037%), zirconium
(0.026%), nickel (0.020%), vanadium (0.017%), copper (0.010%), uranium (0.008%),
tungsten (0.005%), zinc (0.004%), lead (0.002%), cobalt (0.001%), and beryllium (0.001%).
The cost of metals is strongly affected by strategic abundance as well as secondary factors
such as extraction/processing cost and perceived value. Plain carbon steels and cast irons,
iron alloys with carbon, are usually most cost-effective for ordinary mechanical applications.
These alloys increase in cost with alloying additions. A variety of metal properties are unique
among materials and of importance technologically. (…)

The ductility of metals at low and moderate temperature makes them formable as solids and
also confers safety (fracture toughness) in mechanical applications, in that under impact
loading the metal will absorb energy rather than break catastrophically. Metals are good
conductors of heat and electricity.

Source: Reading Texts For Mechanical Engineering – Victor A. Greenhut – 12.1 Metals – Introduction — Nature and Properties of Pure
Metals