ASM Intl. book chronicles evolution of metals in the U.S.

A new book from ASM Intl., History of Metals in America, details more than 300 years of metals and metallurgy in the U.S. Written by Charles (Bob) R. Simcoe and edited by Frances Richards, the book leads readers through the evolution of metals and metallurgy from the beginning of iron production in colonial times to the prevailing metals of the 21st century.

It explores the progression of metals as both an industrial activity and a science. Each chapter describes the development of a metal or series of metal alloys, industry growth, and modern uses in manufacturing. The book includes the biographies of the pioneers of metals research, and the final chapters cover the formation, growth, and decline of the integrated steel industry and the rise of a new industry in steel mini-mills.