Looking to sell your scrap for the best price? ScrapBays connects you with 300+ verified buyers who compete for your material - free to list, in under a minute → List today
The biggest reason sellers get underpaid for scrap isn't a bad yard — it's the wrong grade. Buyers price by grade, not metal type, so understanding yours before you sell is the easiest way to protect your margin.
Copper grades
- Bright/clean copper — bare, uncoated wire or pipe. Top of the range.
- Berry copper — lightly tinned or minor coating, still high value.
- No. 2 copper — coated, soldered or oxidised, a clear step down.
- Insulated cable — priced on copper content after stripping, not gross weight.
Aluminium grades
- Clean extrusion (window frames, clean profile) sits highest.
- Cast aluminium (engine blocks, wheels) is lower due to alloy content.
- Painted or mixed aluminium takes the biggest discount of the three.
Steel grades
- Heavy melting steel (HMS 1) — clean, thick steel, priced at a premium.
- Light iron — thin steel, guttering, sheet — priced lower.
- Structural steel and rebar sit in between, depending on size and contamination.
What affects the price you're actually offered
- Purity and how well grades are separated
- Load volume
- Local buyer demand
- How the material is presented (loose vs sorted, on a pallet vs loose in a van)
Sell with confidence
Sorted material photographs — and prices — better than a mixed load. When you list on ScrapBays, being specific about grade rather than just "copper" or "steel" is what gets you an accurate bid instead of a cautious one.
List your material on ScrapBays and deal with verified, licensed buyers — with a digital trail already built in. Sell on ScrapBays →
ScrapBays updates
Get the latest scrap prices
Occasional price updates and practical selling tips. No daily noise.