natural metals are tradeable commodities that are mined from the earth. their value is governned by natural scarcity and demand.

altmetals are usually plastic or in some cases fired clay pottery tokens (think poker chips) that are covered with a reflective surface, with the covering sometimes but not always a partially metallic foil -- reflective plastic are also becoming popular for the covering. their value is governed by a commitee and generally tied to the notion of "stake" that is, those who have more of the altmetal tokens control its issuance and how it may be used.

Precious metals and altmetals are both examples of the larger category of "metal" (now a regulated commodity) and trade on the same exchanges. Recently the trump family has issued altmetal tokens tied to his family brand, and used the proceeds of the sale to accumulate precious metals.

A minority of investors, generally considered extremist or at least excentric "maxis" object to the broader "metal" category applying to both precious metals and altmetetals, and idiosyncratically prefer to call altmetals shitmetals.

Generally the precious metals extremists are unable to provide a coherent explanation as to why they don't consider the foil covered plastic altmetal tokens metals, and only believe naturally occurring metals to be metalic.

As both altmetals and precious metals are regulated identically, one expects or at least hopes for the market to eventually sort this confusion out.