Some copper is used as solid copper but most is used in the form of a brass alloy (copper with other metals)Steel is an alloy of Iron and other metals. Some steel is used in the form of surgical stainless steel in earwires. Other things are stamped out of steel and sometimes form copper clad steel (a kind of sandwich material with sheets of copper over a sheet of steel.) There are many different alloys of iron with other metals. Steels are a large group of Iron alloys. Each variation has diferent properties and uses.
Brass, copper clad steel and steel are the most common basemetals used for stampings (stamped out findings.)
Nickel is used to plate on to base metals for a white finish. Somtimes basemetal findings are dipped in hot nickel but usually it is electroplated on the basemetal finding. Sometime nickel is electroplated first followed by a gold electroplate. That makes a sturdier gold finish. I can't think of any findings that are made of just plain nickel.
Nickel is alloyed with copper and other metals to make nickel silver - a white colored brass alloy - also known as German Silver though it has no silver content.
Pewter is primarily tin. It used to be an alloy of tin and lead until we learned that lead was hazardous.
Aluminium is used for a limited amount of jewelry. It's very lightweight, easy to stamp and can be colored wih an electric process called anodizing. Anodized aluminium's had coating is actually a form of sapphire - very hard.
Titanium and Niobium are 2 other metals used for earwires and ear posts. They usually do not react with the body so are used for piercing jewelry. They are considered noble metals rather than base metals.
There's more info on metals at our page http://www.rings-things.com/METALS.HTM
What I want to know, Marina, is am I going to get any school credit for all the work I'm doing on your report? 
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