ingot

thumb|right|Aluminium ingot after ejection from mold thumb|right|Gold ingots thumb|Pouring molten gold into a mold at the commons:Category:La Luz Gold Mine|La Luz Gold Mine in Siuna, [[Nicaragua, about 1959.]] An ingot is a piece of relatively pure material, usually metal, that is cast into a shape suitable for further processing. In steelmaking, it is the first step among semi-finished casting products. Ingots usually require a second procedure of shaping, such as cold/hot working, cutting, or milling to produce a useful final product. Non-metallic and semiconductor materials prepared in bulk form may also be referred to as ingots, particularly when cast by mold based methods. Precious metal ingots can be used as currency (with or without being processed into other shapes), or as a currency reserve, as with gold bars.

==Types== Ingots are generally made of metal, either pure or alloy, heated past its melting point and cast into a bar or block using a mold chill method.