Four Things You Can Do To Get Them Most From Your Scrap Metal Recycling

Posted on: 20 January 2016

If you are looking for ways to put a little extra cash in your pocket, recycling can be a good project. Scrap metal is valuable and can be very rewarding. Before you start recycling your scrap, it is important to know the metal you have and how to separate it to get the most for your labor. Here are some things that you can do to get the most for scrap metal you recycle:

1. Scrapping Your Steel In One Bulk Pile 

Steel will be one of the most common metals that you will find with scrap metal. If you have a small trailer or pickup, load all this material in one pile to get the most for your efforts. All the steel and tin materials will be magnetic, so you know if a magnet sticks to it, it is steel. If it is not magnetic, then you will want to separate it to sort with other metals. Some non-ferrous steel, such as stainless-steel, can be very valuable.

2. Finding The Aluminum And Other Non-Ferrous Metals

Aluminum is another common metal that you will find with scraps. It is a metal that is not magnetic and does not corrode in the weather. It can be used for lightweight auto parts, construction equipment and building materials. If you have metal that is non-ferrous and lightweight, then it is probably aluminum. It will also have little corrosion if it has been outdoors.

3. Separating Brass And Other Valuable Metals For Recycling

Brass, copper and other valuable metals can also be found when looking for scrap metal. Copper will be the most valuable and found in pipes, wiring and electrical motors. Brass is often found in fittings for pipes. The brass materials can very and can be separated by their color, which the rose colored materials will have more copper, and thus, be more valuable. Brass is also dense, so the weight can add up quickly.

4. Getting The Most For Precious And Valuable Metal Scraps You Find

You may not expect to find valuable metals when sorting through scrap, but there are a range of metals used for different manufacturing purposes. Some of these metals are even precious metals. Silver can be found in many different types of electrical connections and circuits. You can also find gold in electronics. Lead is also valuable and can be found in old plumbing, as well as for waterproofing for things like old shower-pans.

These are some of the things you can do to get the most for the scrap metal you recycle. If you are ready to get cash for your efforts, contact a recycling center to find out current prices, the metals they take and other information for your recycling projects. To learn more, contact a scrap metal buyer like Summit Recycling of Penn Hills

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