Non-ferrous metals in scrap yards – what are they?
Non-ferrous metals, also known as non-iron metals, are metals and their alloys that do not contain any iron admixtures. The most popular non-ferrous metals include copper, brass, aluminum, bronze, zinc, tin, and lead. Due to their properties, they are widely used across almost every industry. Their defining characteristics include high luster, excellent thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance, and plasticity. In industry, they are used to produce components such as pipes, wires, rods, profiles, sheets, and beams. Non-ferrous metals are also found in food packaging, musical instruments, and robot structures. Moreover, non-ferrous metals are highly recyclable, relatively rare, and fetch a good price at scrap yards.
How to identify non-ferrous metals?
Selling non-ferrous scrap, such as copper, brass, or lead, to scrap yards can provide a nice financial boost. However, not everything that looks like a non-ferrous metal actually is one. Each non-ferrous metal has unique physical and chemical properties. By properly sorting your metal scrap, you can earn more when selling it. Here are some key characteristics of specific materials:
- Copper: A non-magnetic metal with a bright, shiny reddish hue. It conducts electricity exceptionally well, resists corrosion, and is soft and flexible. Over time, oxidation creates a green-blue patina on its surface. Common sources include electronic scrap, wiring, conductive systems, and electrical installations.
- Brass: An alloy of copper and zinc (with varying amounts of lead, manganese, tin, iron, aluminum, or chromium). Non-magnetic, gold-yellow in color (depending on zinc content), hard, and heavy. It’s used in heating systems, decorative elements, chandeliers, automotive parts, and for manufacturing sheets, pipes, and screws.
- Aluminum: A non-magnetic, silver-colored metal. Lightweight, durable, flexible, and highly conductive to heat and electricity. Common scrap includes aluminum cans, car rims, renovation profiles, radiators, and energy sector scrap.
- Nickel: A magnetic, silver-white metal with a slight golden sheen. It is hard, ductile, durable, and highly resistant to corrosion and oxidation. Nickel is used in construction, machinery, aviation, military, mining, and automotive industries, as well as in dental and orthopedic prosthetics.
- Bronze: An alloy with copper as its main component. Non-magnetic, durable, and corrosion-resistant. It has a matte, reddish hue and is commonly used in machinery, automotive, hydraulic, and decorative applications.
- Lead: A non-magnetic metal with a shiny blue-white appearance. Soft and malleable, it resists corrosion and is highly acid-resistant. Common uses include automotive batteries, wheels, water meters, and industrial applications.
- Zinc: A non-magnetic metal with a blue-silver color. Brittle and reactive with acids and bases. It is used for coating steel to prevent corrosion, as well as in paint production and electrical batteries.
- Tin: A non-magnetic, silver-white metal that is malleable and corrosion-resistant. It’s often used for anti-corrosion coatings (e.g., food cans), soldering, and as an alloying component in bearings.
Scrap prices for non-ferrous metals – how much can you earn?
Prices for non-ferrous metals at scrap yards are attractive. At Metkom’s scrap yards in Rzeszów, Dębica, Mielec, or Radom, you can sell unwanted copper, brass, aluminum, nickel, bronze, lead, zinc, and tin. The price depends on the condition, sorting, and quantity of the delivered scrap. Compare market prices online, as many scrap yards regularly update their rates. Check Metkom’s Scrap Price List to see how much you can earn today.
Recycling non-ferrous metal scrap
Non-ferrous metals are vital to modern industry. As shown above, they have applications across many industrial sectors, from medicine to electronics. One common trait of non-ferrous metals is their recyclability. Without recycling, meeting the demand across all industries would be impossible. Recycling not only benefits the environment but is essential for the economy and industry. It reduces production costs, consumes less energy, and is more sustainable compared to traditional mining methods.