Scraping solder, its non-ferous, but what do yards buy it as?

Originally Posted by ScrapYardBob

Hello, I'm sorry to deliver this bad news but scrap yards will not buy solder. Solder is made of tin and lead and even though yards will buy lead my yard does not buy solder. I am the non-ferrous manager at our yard. Solder is usually around 60% tin and 40% lead. Sometimes it will have a higher lead content but either way no good. When people scrap copper pipes with solder on them usually at the joints, the copper is downgraded to #2. The reason for this is when the copper foundry melts scrap copper they have to remove the impurities and solder is considered a contaminant. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but hopefully I saved you a trip to the scrap yard and some gas money. Keep scrappin!

And on top of that, the plumber style of solder has a center core made of acid, it is called acid core solder. Cannot be used for soldering wires as the acid will eat up the wires. Solder for electrical (circuit board) work is called rosin core solder. The purpose of the acid core is to etch into the surface of the pipe so it gets a clean bond with no contamination.
So ends "soldering 101".

Lead Solder Scrap

Buyers of Nonferrous Alloys and Super Alloys