The occurrence and extraction of metals and the range of uses to which they can be applied are briefly reviewed, and the four main techniques currently in use for the analysis of metals and their alloys are described. They are emission spectrography, used for the rapid analysis of steels, aluminum and copper based alloys; inductively coupled plasma emission spectrophotometry for the rapid and simultaneous analysis of major, minor, and trace elements in all types of metal materials, including ores, minerals, steels, aluminum alloys, copper alloys, nickel alloys and titanium alloys; atomic absorption spectroscopy for the analysis of minor and trace elements in alloys, metals, ores, and minerals; and x-ray fluorescence spectrometry which is particularly useful in determining elements that are difficult to separate by chemical means, such as niobium and tantalum, hafnium and zirconium or the rare earth elements. The role of independent analysts is also briefly discussed. -- AATA