How Much Is Scrap Metal Worth?

Scrap metal prices are set by global commodity markets and passed down to consumers through a chain of yards that each take a margin, which means the price you receive is well below the exchange price for the metal. The single largest thing you control is sorting. A yard buying a mixed load pays the rate for the lowest-value metal in it, so separating copper from brass from aluminum before you arrive can double or triple the payout on the same material. The second lever is cleanliness, since grades are defined by contamination: bare bright copper wire pays substantially more than insulated wire, and clean aluminum pays more than aluminum with steel attachments. Prices move daily with commodity markets and vary regionally based on transport distance to processors, so calling two or three yards before loading is standard practice. Ferrous metals, meaning steel and iron, pay by the ton and are worth handling only in volume.

The underlying commodity price sets the ceiling and moves daily with global markets, so timing matters more than most people expect. Grade within a metal type is the largest thing a seller controls, and the definitions are contamination-based: bare bright copper is the top grade and each added contaminant moves the material down a tier with a real price consequence. Sorting is the second lever, because a mixed load is paid at the lowest rate present. Volume affects the rate, with yards paying better per pound on larger quantities, which is why ferrous metal is only worth handling by the ton. Regional variation is significant and depends on distance to the nearest processor, so prices in port cities and industrial regions run higher. Yard margin varies, and calling several yards on the same day routinely reveals spreads of fifteen to thirty percent on identical material.