Unprepared Scrap Aluminum: Separated and Clean Aluminum Earns MoreUsed aluminum is one of the most
popular recycled nonferrous metals and is found in products all
around us. Its light weight and pliability keep this scrap
metal in high demand. However, its abundance and popularity is
a double edge sword for scrap metal collectors.
Because used aluminum can be found almost everywhere its market value per pound is generally less than copper and brass. On the other hand, because it is easily collected and light weight, scrap metal collectors find it easy to accumulate 50, 100 or even more pounds of this valuable commodity. More importantly, scrap metal collectors willing to properly prepare their product for market can have a huge impact on the price they receive for their commodity when it goes to market.
Sorting Scrap Aluminum:
To the untrained scrap collector all aluminum may appear to be the same and may suffer unnecessary price reductions when they sell their product. How well scrap aluminum is sorted prior to marketing will make a substantial difference in the price scrap metal processors will pay for your commodity. As with most nonferrous metals, serious scrap collectors not only sort their metals into broad categories such as copper, brass, stainless steel and aluminum, they also carefully sort each scrap metal into subcategories to increase their profits.
In order of most valuable to least valuable, scrap aluminum can be separated into the following subcategories:
Aluminum CU Radiators
EC Aluminum Wiring
Cast Aluminum Wheels
Aluminum Truck Rims
5052 Aluminum
6061 Mill Grade Aluminum
6063 Aluminum (Clean/Mixed)
Aluminum Radiators w/ Ferrous Ends
Aluminum Clips
Aluminum with ProTek
Aluminum Irrigation Pipe
Sheet Aluminum
6063 Contaminated
6063 TIE Aluminum
Aluminum ACU (Alcoa Grade)
Cast Aluminum
Litho Sheet Aluminum
Aluminum Car Pistons (with or without rings)
6061 Aluminum Turnings (Dry)
Mixed Aluminum Borings
Contaminated Aluminum (70%)
Contaminated Cast Aluminum (55%)
Cleaning Scrap Aluminum
Cleaning any nonferrous metal equates to removing impurities from each subcategory of the principle class of metal. For instance, aluminum wheels must be be free of tire stems, weights and valves. Aluminum irrigation pipe must have the heavy end couplings and iron screws removed.
Experienced scrap metal collectors know the extra time it takes to sort and clean their products before taking them to market pays off handsomely in the form of higher prices. In all cases each subcategory of scrap aluminum and other used nonferrous metals must be free of all other types attachments, including other metals, plastics and other contaminates.
Preparing Scrap Aluminum
Preparing scrap aluminum for market in most cases entails very little. Many used aluminum items are small and require no more than tossing them into a box or other container. However, scrap aluminum pipe, angle, flat or large awkward pieces of this material must be cut into pieces less than four or five feet in length and two feet or less in width. This allows the scrap processor to further prepare the metal for shipping to smelters and foundries.
Some preferred scrap metal collectors have online access to daily metal prices at Stubblefield Salvage and Recycling, LLC. Access to our online price list is at our sole discretion and access rights to price lists are subject to change at any time and without notice. Access and prices may vary based on customer loyalty, volume and frequency of scrap metal sold to our processing center.
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