What is scrap metal near me?

• April 27, 2022
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Put simply, scrap metal near me is the combination of waste metal, metallic material, and any product that contains metal that is capable of being recycled from previous consumption or product manufacturing. Whether it’s vehicle parts, building supplies, or surplus project materials, scrap has tremendous monetary value; so much so that the UK’s metal recycling industry is now worth upwards of £5.6 billion. Scrap metal can originate from commercial and residential use. Whether it’s a ferrous or non-ferrous metal, the processing of this into vital secondary raw material for the smelting of brand new metals is key.
These scrap metals have a high market value, with their ability to be re-used again and again. For instance, electricians might have wires and electrical equipment, plumbers are likely to have used copper piping and brass fixtures and even construction firms will have beam upon a beam of steel that could be quite literally given a new lease of life. But all too regularly these are tossed into the dump due to a lack of knowledge and sources for metal recycling.

Determining non-ferrous and ferrous metals

Before recycling any metals, the first important step is to determine whether a metal is ferrous or non-ferrous. This is a very straightforward process and requires only a common magnet. If the magnet sticks to your metal, it is a ferrous metal. If the metal does not stick to your magnet it is a non-ferrous metal.
The most valuable scrap metals for recycling are non-ferrous; the most common of which are those that do not contain iron and are more resistant to corrosion, including copper, brass, aluminum, zinc, magnesium, tin, lead, and nickel.

Ferrous metals are less valuable to metal recyclers but they will still recoup some value if you have enough of them this includes metals such as steel and iron. Steel can be found in so many places; from cars to chairs, cabinets, shelving, and more. The term “ferrous” is derived from the Latin word for iron and refers to both iron and steel. Iron is the second most commonly occurring metal in our planet’s crust. Its natural magnetism is what gives the Earth a magnetic field. Because nearly all ferrous metals are magnetic, metal scrap yards often use massive electromagnets mounted on excavators to load and unload ferrous scrap from trucks and move it around the yard.

Non-ferrous metals don’t lose their chemical properties during the recycling process, they can be endlessly recycled. There’s a long list of non-ferrous metals, but some of the most common base metals include aluminum, copper, nickel, lead, tin, and zinc. Precious metals like gold and silver also belong to the non-ferrous category. Each of these has a wide variety of uses.

The most valuable non-ferrous metal scrap near me

Brass – Easily found on door handles, light fittings, keys, and plumbing fixtures, brass is one of the most common yet in-demand non-ferrous metals. Often yellow with a hint of red, brass is a combination of zinc and copper that can be extremely dense, increasing its value in pure weight alone.

aluminum- Yet another metal that’s often found in so many places around a regular home, aluminum can be recycled and reused in an alternative guise within a matter of a month. Empty drinks and food cans are the most common places to find this metal, but areas such as guttering, siding, internal and external door, and window frames are also good places to look. Aluminum is such an attractive metal for recyclers as the process saves 80 percent of the energy that was used to make it in the first place.

Copper – Another common metal regularly found in the structure of homes across the country, copper is also very valuable to recycle and very much in-demand at scrap yards. If the copper itself is in good condition it will be reddish, but more worn copper fixtures and fittings will appear dark brown and sometimes green in places. It’s a versatile metal which means it is regularly used as plumbing pipes, as a roofing material for guttering, with common electric wires, and even inside air conditioning units.