Aluminum Recycling - The world’s second most recycled and demanded metal. Aluminum, as with most metal products are never found to be 100% pure. Most consumer metal products are alloyed to match an industry precision that defines hardness, texture and strength. The alloy varies from product to product. Although you'll find hundreds of different aluminum products, less than 50 common recycling terms exist. Purity and demand will determine the price given for each aluminum product.

Aluminum ASCR

ASCR (Aluminum Conductors Steel Reinforced) conductor is used for river crossings, overhead and ground wire installations or just as a ground wire.

Aluminum Breakage

Casting alloys containing more than 5% foreign material are divided into high or low recovery. This item is commonly found with aluminum engines and transmission parts but also used in other products.

Aluminum Bumpers

Common to be a 7000 series with zinc as the principal alloying element,yu may find some truck bumpers to be a 5052 alloy with magnesium being the principal alloying element.

Aluminum Cans

As a new pre consumer product this is a 1100 alloy, once used it is known as UBC (used beverage can) or RBF-UBC.

Aluminum Cast

Cast aluminum can be produced using several different casting processes that include sand, permanent mold, die, lost foam, or squeeze. Common products will be found with engine parts, transmissions as well as other not so common products. Cast can be bought as clean as long as all foreign material has been removed, if not it could be bought as a breakage.

Aluminum Clips

A very common mix of 1100, 3003, 3004, 5005, 5052, 6061 and 6063, this mixture may also be found in aluminum MLC. This is most familiarized as most aluminum products with a sheet like appearance, free of any foreign elements.

Aluminum Dirty Sheet

This category is for almost all alloys of sheet aluminum that contain a small amount of foreign elements, Common material would be sheet aluminum that may have screws, nails or a small amount of plastic, lawn chairs, rain gutter, siding and other sheet aluminum products.

Aluminum EC Wire

A common conductor found in different sized wire that is shielded with a rubber or plastic like layer. The aluminum used in most of this product is no less than 99.5% pure aluminum giving it a high value if it's stripped of it's outer shield.

Aluminum Extrusion

Aluminum extrusions will commonly be found in the alloys of 6061 and 6063. Using magnesium and silicon in various proportions to form magnesium silicate, creating a heat treatable aluminum alloy with durable strength. Common uses include ladders, window frames, and screen doors.

Aluminum Foil

This familiar household product is also recyclable and like a beverage can this is also 1100 alloy but because of the thinness not all the aluminum is recovered in the smelting process, dramatically affecting the price of this material.

Aluminum Litho Plate

This is commonly used in printing shops and usually has better value over other aluminum. The alloy is either 1100 or 3003 but most likely 3003. Manganese is the major alloying element.

Aluminum MLC

As with clips this is a very common mix of 1100, 3003, 3004, 5005, 5052, 6061 and 6063. Unlike clips, MLC is usually the thick solids instead of the thin clean sheets. MLC is the initials for mixed low copper.

Aluminum Painted Sheet

Any sheet or clip aluminum that has been contaminated with paint will be bought in this category unless the paint is unusually thick or contains other forien material, then the material will have to be downgraded.

Aluminum Radiators

You will find an aluminum radiator in most modern cars. These are purchased for recycling with or without the plastic ends, of course increasing the value by removing the plastic.

Aluminum Rims

Usually a 6061 alloy and found on most modern cars.

Aluminum Thermo Bond

Thermo bond is usually bonded by two pieces of extrusion with a thermo adhesive creating a better insulation around windows and doors. This type of material must be kept separated from other extrusions.

Aluminum Turnings

Turnings or shavings are usually found at machine shops and left after drilling holes into a block or sheet of aluminum. These turnings have less value than aluminum sheet because recovery is less in the smelting processes and also more likely to be contaminated with oil used for cooling the drilling tools.

Other aluminum items that we purchase include: Cable TV coax, concentric wire, aluminum ingots, aluminum pistons and venetian blinds.

 

 

Brass Recycling - Brass is not an element metal in it's self but since it's used so commonly and described as it's own metal, it deserves it's own section. Copper is the base element found in brass, alloyed with a high percentage of zinc. You will also find information here on a couple of commonly bought bronze alloys. Common terms and information in recycling brass are given below.

Yellow Brass

This is the most commonly used brass - used in household plumbing including popular items such as your faucets and "under the sink" plumbing. Most your door keys will also be yellow brass. Although many different alloy percentages can be found, yellow brass usually contains around 60% to 70% copper, 30% to 40% zinc and trace amounts of lead and tin. Yellow brass gets it's name because the very apparent yellow color. Yellow brass prices often reflect the price of copper but demand is also key, as with any alloyed metal.

Red Brass

Although diminishing in use, this brass is still commonly recycled. The reddish pink tint gives this brass its name. The red tint is due to the high amount of copper that usually will be found, which is commonly made up of 85% Copper, 15% Zinc and very small traces of Lead and Tin. Common uses are sprinklers and shut off valves but many other items can be found.

Semi-red Brass

This has modernly replaced red brass as we've known it. Cheaper element mixture and equally as useful as red brass, it's defined use has made this all but replace red brass. The common element alloys are 80% copper, 10% zinc, 5% tin, 2-3% lead and other trace elements. It's common uses are similar to red brass that includes shut off valves, sprinkler's and other not as common items.


A less common type of metal that has similar alloyed elements as brass, is bronze. The 2 most used are defined as Aluminum Bronze and Manganese Bronze. Aluminum Bronze is around 90% copper, 7% aluminum, 2-3% iron and traces of other elements. Manganese Bronze is 58.5% Copper, 39% Zinc, 1.4% Iron and small traces of other elements.

Other types of brass that we purchase are known as Naval Brass, Machinery Brass and 85/15. We also buy brass heater cores.

 

 

 

Copper Recycling - Very common to be used in the electrical and plumbing trades. Copper is the third leading used metal after iron and aluminum. Copper usage is rapidly expanding as more and more products are containing computer and electronic components. An example of this is automobiles - 30 years ago a car would contain around 30 to 35 lbs. of copper, that has increased to well over 50 lbs. on average but could contain as much as 80 lbs. A modern Boeing 727 contains about 9,000 lbs. of copper. Copper is one of the first known metals to be used by man, proving this with many ancient artifacts that have been found made of bronze (copper and iron).

As defined in other raw material you have heard a lot about alloys being added to the base metal. Copper on the other hand is more often used in a pure form than any other metal. Resistance to corrosion and high conductivity in pure form is already suitable for it's common uses that includes electrical wire, plumbing and heating pipe and cooling or refrigeration tubes. Common terms and information in recycling copper are given below.

Bare Bright

Bare bright is expected to be very clean and pure. This usually will include any 12 gauge solid strand sized wire or larger that has been stripped from it's shield and is free from tarnish or any other impurities that keeps it from being "bright and shiny" in appearance. Most often MCM stripped wire is the item commonly bought as bare bright but could include other wire that has been stripped also, as defined above.

#1 Copper

This is usually copper pipe that has a "new appearance look" without any solder, paint or corrosion visible and no other foreign material. It is ok for this copper pipe to contain small amounts of typical chemical build up inside the pipe as long as the outside still has a new copper appearance. New copper pipe tarnished from just being old still may qualify as a #1 copper. Common material would be copper tubing and HVAC line set.

#2 Copper

This is copper pipe that contains any solder, paint or visible corrosion. Because this contains solder (lead and tin), this copper is often bought from foundries that make brass since it already has some of the base elements - some also refine this into pure copper.

#1 Insulated Heavy or MCM

This wire has excellent recovery and usually is very close in price with #2 copper. Common size is ranged from 100 MCM to 1000 MCM, 100 being the smallest.

#1 Insulated

There is a wide range of electrical wire that may be classified as #1 insulated, included is any wire that has strands the size of a 12 gauge solid strand wire or larger and has the defined recycling market recovery. Often 1 through 6 AWG will qualify along with 10 and 12 AWG solid strand wire.

#2 Insulated Heavy

This wire is uncommon but still recycled. This will ususally have a recovery similar to #1 insulated and includes MCM like wire that has a tin layer over the copper. There are other less common types of #2 insulated heavy also.

#2 Insulated

As mentioned with #1 insulated and the wide range of different wire types, there is even a wider range with #2 insulated. Most all wire that has smaller strands than a 12 AWG solid wire or a less defined recovery than #1 insulated will be #2 insulated. includes but not limited to 8 through 12 AWG stranded and any 14 through 30 AWG wire. Most telecommunication wire will also be placed into #2 insulated such as cat4, cat5, cat6 and other Ethernet and standard phone cords. Another example of #2 insulated are most 110 outlet cords and extension cords.

Romex

Very common wire used in wiring homes and is considered a mid recovery insulated grade. Often you'll find the price to be in between that of #1 insulated & #2 insulated wire.

Copper Radiator

We also purchase copper radiators. These usually are a combination of copper and brass. The copper is the "fins" of the radiator but the rest usually is brass. These are being less commonly used in modern vehicles as aluminum radiator technology seems to be taking over in cooling an engine.

Copper Bearing

This is low recovery copper that includes motors and other electronic devices. Prices are extremely lower than other copper items.

 

Other less common copper items or their referred terms that we purchase include jelly wire, high voltage, 100 pair, 200 pair, 500 pair, 750 pair, 1000 pair, IDE cable, copper light, 90/10 and others. All types of copper wire are purchased as well as any other items containing copper.

 

 

Iron & Steel Recycling - As a commitment to our community we also provide a place for you to drop off your unwanted iron (ferrous) and steel items. Steel is the easiest to determine because of it's strong magnetic properties. Often you'll find older steel items to have a trace, or even possibly a significant amount of rust. This is because of it's iron base element. Without treatment or a protective coat, exposure to natural elements such as oxygen and water will rust iron very quickly. Popular items that will be recycled with our iron (ferrous) and steel include appliances, screws, nails, tin sheds, rain gutter and water heaters. Of course all these items will contain other alloys other than iron, most often just trace amounts that will define texture, strength and hardness - usually called steel after this has been done. WE DO NOT ACCEPT REFRIGERATORS, FREEZERS, OR OTHER COOLING OR SIMILAR PRODUCTS UNLESS THEY ARE VISIBLY DISCHARGED OF FEREON AND OIL. Recycling terms include shredder, #1 steel, #2 steel, iron and cast iron.

 

Lead Recycling - Lead is becoming less used because of its harmfulness to our environment. Lead has been banned in products like paint, water pipes and even gasoline. Although concerns of lead are continually growing it is still a very useful product and used in items such as solder, x-ray shields, wheel balance weights, car batteries and used in alloying. Fishing weights are also a popular item but there have been lawmakers that want to ban this product - believing this is contaminating water and fish. Lead often holds little cash value but it is very important that lead products do not end up in landfills. Human health concern forced most state governments including federal have put regulation in place to protect contamination from this element.

Common Lead products and recycling terms

Hard lead, soft lead, wheel weights, pewter (mostly black tin), 10/90 solder (10% tin),

 

 

 

Magnesium Recycling - Magnesium is more often used as an alloying element, particularly and most used is in aluminum cans, containing about 2.5% magnesium. Another well known use is the lining in furnaces that melt and refine metals and glass. Less popular uses are similar to that of aluminum - items such as engine parts and ladders, could be magnesium, although very rarely. Often concrete tools may be made from magnesium. Magnesium may be mistaken as aluminum but experience in handling this metal will give the expert a noticeable difference in weight compared with aluminum. After a short time magnesium will begin turn a dark gray color allowing this to also aid in identifying this metal. Magnesium is also known as a flammable element.

 

 

Nickel is a hard, silver white metal that has beneficial physical and chemical properties including strength, corrosion resistance, high ductility, good thermal and electrical conductivity, magnetic characteristics, and catalytic properties.

Nickel is foreign to our planet, supplied by meteorites. Large deposits of nickel are mined near Ontario, Canada where evidence of a large meteorite impact occurred. Another large world producer of nickel is Russia, but deposits are not limited to these two large world producers.

Nickel use is largely found as an alloying element found in iron, stainless steel and copper. When used in iron it becomes a strong bulletproof product used in armor plating and bank vaults. Alloying nickel with stainless creates a strong, high temperature stainless commonly called inconel and monel - used in machine parts and aerospace. Nickel has also been alloyed with copper used to make a product called cupro nickel, used primarily in desalination pipes. Copper has been alloyed with 25% nickel to make the U.S. 5-cent “nickel” (you MAY NOT recycle these). You will also find nickel in ni-cad ( nickel cadium ) batteries and a very powerful magnet called alnico. The use for nickel is continually growing and may be found in many other alloyed products.

Nickel value is usually quite higher than most common metals but still tremendously lower than commonly defined precious metals. It will usually take a well experienced metal buyer/handler to determine this element and/or it's alloys.

Stainless Steel - Stainless steel is technically defined as a ferrous alloy because of its iron base. Unlike iron in a steel product, stainless contains nickel that stabilizes, in almost all products, the magnetic property – alone, each nickel and iron both are magnetic. Stainless is very popular for use in restaurant counters, restaurant equipment and cooking/eating utensils – this is because stainless does not contain pours that could harbor contamination. Another key ingredient in stainless that helps with the sanitary properties is chromium – also giving stainless the shiny appearance and the ability to protect the metal from water and air.

The price of stainless will usually be determined by amount of nickel in the product along with current iron and nickel spot prices (stock market). As with aluminum, stainless also has over 150 different alloyed types but only less than 20 commonly mentioned in recycling - most often 304 and 316. Rare, and the most expensive are monel and inconel series

We will recycle these types of stainless and well as others: 301, 304, 305, 316, 321, 317, 409, 430, inconel and monel.

 

 

 

Stainless Steel - Stainless steel is technically defined as a ferrous alloy because of its iron base. Unlike iron in a steel product, stainless contains nickel that stabilizes, in almost all products, the magnetic property – alone, each nickel and iron both are magnetic. Stainless is very popular for use in restaurant counters, restaurant equipment and cooking/eating utensils – this is because stainless does not contain pours that could harbor contamination. Another key ingredient in stainless that helps with the sanitary properties is chromium – also giving stainless the shiny appearance and the ability to protect the metal from water and air.

The price of stainless will usually be determined by amount of nickel in the product along with current iron and nickel spot prices (stock market). As with aluminum, stainless also has over 150 different alloyed types but only less than 20 commonly mentioned in recycling - most often 304 and 316. Rare, and the most expensive are monel and inconel series

We will recycle these types of stainless and well as others: 301, 304, 305, 316, 321, 317, 409, 430, inconel and monel.

 

 

Tungsten Carbide - Tungsten is used in several alloyed processes including iron but most popular for combining with carbon to make a high temperature and high ware resistant product known as Tungsten Carbide. This is the strongest known metal and will have the highest melting point of any other element next to only carbon alone. Melting this product you will need well over 6,000 degrees making this an excellent element when needing a ware resistant product. Over 60% of Tungsten used in the U.S. is used to make Tungsten Carbide. Uses include cutting and drilling tools. Another use for Tungsten is filaments in light bulbs. Tungsten Carbide usually has a recycling value that exceeds most other more common metals.