Collecting scrap metal from your home, urging companies to hand over their broken goods, and obtaining pieces of scrap from friends and family can be a lot of hard work. On some days, you might be lucky enough to come across some free metal sources. Other times, you might need to buy scrap metal that you can resell to a Melbourne scrap metal company.
With so much work and effort, you want to make sure to get the maximum value when you are selling your precious metals. One of the best ways to get the maximum value for scrap metal is by properly sorting your scrap pile.
Sorting metal is an important step because metal prices vary based on the type of metal you have and the condition of the metal (clean, contaminated, or rusted). Let’s take a look at how to properly sort your metal pile so you can get the highest possible profits.
Disassembly and Extraction
First, it is important to separate metal from other materials like plastic, glass, and fabric. To do this, you might need to disassemble old and discarded items like white appliances, tools, and equipment. With some items like wires, you will need to strip off the protective coating over the wire so you can access the pure copper inside.
After stripping and disassembling the items, you can separate materials by type. The metal should be placed to one side, while other recyclables like glass or plastic can be placed in a different pile.
Identify Major Metal Types
There are two major types of metal: ferrous metals and non-ferrous metals. These different types can easily be identified with a magnet since only ferrous metals will stick to a magnet.
Ferrous Metals: Ferrous metals contain iron, which makes them magnetic. These metals are the most common types, which means they are less valuable. They are also prone to rust, which can also impact their value. Good examples of ferrous metal include steel and cast iron.
Non-Ferrous Metals: Non-ferrous metals don’t contain iron, which means they are not magnetic. These metal types are more rust-resistant, and they are scarcer, making them more valuable. Some good examples of non-ferrous metals include copper, aluminium, brass, stainless steel, lead, and zinc.
Sort by Metal Type
The next step is to sort these main metal types into smaller groups categorised by metal type. This is an essential step because some metals are much more valuable than others. Here is a quick look at what your metal piles should consist of:
Copper pile: One of the most valuable metals found in wires, pipes, tubes, and as sheet material.
Aluminium pile: Another high-value scrap metal found in soda cans, window frames, gutters, and vehicle components.
Brass pile: A brown-gold metal used for faucets, plumbing fixtures or door handles.
Stainless steel pile: A shiny silver metal used for kitchen appliances, cookware, cutlery, and machine parts.
Lead pile: A heavy, grey metal with a low melting point found in batteries and roof sheets.
Steel or iron pile: A common, yet heavy metal, found in car parts, tools, machinery, structures, and many other components.
Sort Metal by Grade or Quality
Finding a pure metal isn’t too common. Most metal types consist of a blend of materials. Some metal product types contain more iron than others. The more iron a metal contains, the more its value decreases. The condition of the metal can also affect its value.
High Quality Metal Pile: These piles tend to be bright in colour, shiny, and lightweight (aluminium and copper), with no signs of corrosion or alloying. Thicker or heavier pieces also fetch higher prices compared to thin materials.
Mixed Alloy Pile: Metals that contain higher concentrations of iron can be placed in a separate pile. These might not fetch as high a price as your pure metal piles.
Low-grade Metals: These are thin or tiny scrap pieces or pieces of metal with a lot of rust or corrosion.
Get The Maximum Value for Scrap Metal
While sorting your metal is important for gaining maximum value, the most important thing you can do is to sell to the right scrap metal company. At Danny Scrap Metal, we always pay the highest price for any metal you can collect. We also offer free collection services in Melbourne for any large metal piles or old vehicles you want to scrap.
Contact Danny Scrap Metal and get the highest price for any scrap metal you collect.