Metallurgy is a field of materials science and engineering that focuses on the study of the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their inter- metallic compounds, and their mixtures, known as alloys
. It involves the extraction of metals from their ores and the modification of the metals for use
. Metallurgy encompasses both the science and the technology of metals, including the production of metals and the engineering of metal components used in various products for consumers and manufacturers
. The science of metallurgy is further subdivided into two broad categories: chemical metallurgy, which is chiefly concerned with the reduction and oxidation of metals, and physical metallurgy, which focuses on the mechanical and physical properties of metals
