ʻO ke keleawe kekahi o nā metala mua i ʻike ʻia e ke kanaka, a ʻo kekahi o nā metala maʻemaʻe maikaʻi loa.Loaʻa iā ia nā hiʻohiʻona aʻe: paʻakikī paʻakikī, paʻakikī loa, paʻa-pale, ductility maikaʻi, maikaʻi thermal a me ka uila conductivity, i ka manawa like, ʻo ke keleawe keleawe ke kūpaʻa maikaʻi i ka corrosion, paʻa i ka ea maloʻo, paʻa a hiki ke hana hou ʻia.No laila, ua loiloi maikaʻi ʻia nā waiwai piha maikaʻi o ke keleawe a me nā mea hana hoʻoheheʻe keleawe i ka ʻoihana uila, hana mīkini, kamaʻilio, nā kaʻa, nā mea kani, a me nā ʻoihana koa.