INGOT

mass of metal cast into a size and shape such as a bar, plate, or sheet convenient to store, transport, and work into a semifinished or finished product; it also refers to a mold in which metal is so cast. Gold, silver, and steel, particularly, are cast into ingots for further processing. Steel ingots range in size from small rectangular blocks weighing a few pounds to huge, tapered, octagonal masses weighing more than 500 tons. Tin ingots are the starting material for many products, whether the tin is to be alloyed with other metals, converted to other physical forms, applied to other metal surfaces, or converted to chemical compounds.