Copper Recycling

What is Copper?

Copper is an element and a mineral essential to our everyday lives, an important metal to industries because of its high ductility and malleability.
Copper has an electrical and thermal conductivity and resistance to corrosion.
Copper is element number 29 on the periodic table of elements.
Copper is a non-ferrous, semi-precious, malleable metal.
Copper has applications in areas such as electronics and electricity.
Copper is also used in building construction, plumbing and industry, transportation, architecture and consumer products.
Copper has an infinite life since it can be recycled from one product to another without loss.
Copper is recycled from all types of manufacturing products from motors to computers.

Scrap copper prices depend on various factors when it comes to pricing. The grade of copper that is being recycled is a important factor, an explanation is below of scrap copper grades and types.

What are the different types of scrap copper?

Dry Bright Copper Wire
Clean Flat Copper Electro
Clean Copper Tube
New Copper Tube
Burnt Wire No 1
Greasy Bright Wire
Heavy Copper 98%
Tinned Copper 98%
Heavy Copper 95%
Burnt No 2 Wire 94%
Laquered Wire 94%
Thin Gauge Tinned Rope Wire 94%
Copper Tanks (Element Free) 92%
Braziery Copper 88%
Lead Washed Grey Braziery (Steel Free)
Copper Elements (From Tanks)

What are the different grades of copper?

Bare Bright Copper
Bare bright copper is the most valuable type of scrap copper. This unalloyed and uncoated copper is free of paint, insulation and other impurities. Not included in this classification is copper piping.

Dry bright copper for scrap is no thinner than 16 gauge in thickness – which is of #1 copper quality.

#1 Copper
#1 copper is the second most valuable grade. This category is like bare bright copper but has traces of oxidation. Scrap copper in this grade include clippings, bus bars and clean copper tubing. #1 copper must be free of insulation, fittings, solder and paint.

#2 Copper
#2 copper grade is scrap copper that has a dirty appearance. The copper material content in this category should be between 94% to 96%. Copper pipe or unalloyed wire that has paint, solder, coating or tarnishes is #2 copper. If damage is not extensive, copper fittings with oxidation are generally accepted.

#1 Insulated Wire
This type of copper includes clean, unalloyed, uncoated and untinned wires. Plastic wire insulation with a gauge thickness of 16 or above is acceptable, you do not need to strip insulation.

#2 Insulated Wire
Double, plastic or heavy insulated unalloyed copper wire with a gauge thinner than 16. Extension cords, gadgets and electronics wiring are accepted for this category type.

Insulated wires with nickel and tin coatings are usually classed as number 2. Wire should look like #2 copper grade with no insulation.

Copper is one of the most valuable recyclable metals

UK businesses can gain extra profit from recycling copper waste to scrap metal merchants. Scrap copper can be re-used and re-purposed without any loss to the metal’s quality. It’s estimated around 80 per cent of all copper used is re-purposed and recycled.