What is everyone getting for Copper? - Page 2

Originally Posted by Phithy McNasty

The guys I sell to are paying 2.80 for#1 - 2.65 for #2.
Brass is going for 1.60
insulated wire 1.60

My yard is bending me over at .80/lb on insulated. Though the only time I've taken insulated is when it was communication wire that couldn't be effectively stripped, and some kind of "grease wire" they called it. Cut one end open and it was sticky as hell and no way I was going to strip the entire thing.

Wow, I should move. I'm getting 2.30 for #1 and 1.90 for #2 here in AZ. I do get .95 for cans though from the buyers who are running them to CA.

Isn't returning cans from an un-taxed state illegal? I remember hearing something about it

Yeah, it is. That's why I don't do it, but there are plenty of people who buy cans legally so that they can resell them illegally. Unless there is another reason why they would pay .95-1.00 when everyone else in town is at .50 -.65. I always assumed they were running them over the state line.

Hey guys. I am new to this scraping thing. Quick question for you. I called a several local (Louisiana) recycling companies who quoted 0.35 for aluminum and 2.50/2.75 for copper. The LME that same day listed aluminum at 1.05 and copper at 4.09. My question is, is the local scrap (recycling) company turning around and reselling the product for something much closer to the prices listed by the LME and if so who are they selling to and what price do they receive.

Yes, they do resell it to someone else for closer to that price. They sell it to a refinery by the hundreds/thousands of tons at a time. That's why we sell it to the yards. We are the middle men(most of us) and cannot reach the volume to satisfy a refinery. I don't know exactly what the prices they get are, but a bale of copper brings them roughly 20-30k. Aluminum prices have not really risen much for over a decade. Also, the price we get can be affected by how far the refinery is from the scrap yard, how they ship, other factors, but they shouldn't vary in price much....if they do, you are most likely getting ripped off.

One thing to take into consideration on why we get the prices that we do is they need to make money too. They don't quite make the the total difference on the price we get to the price they get. Have to figure they have to pay the guys to sort it a bit more, load it into trailers, and the fuel and time it takes for the metal to reach its next destination.

I took some copper and brass in today.

#1 Copper 3.30/lb
#2 Copper 3.10/lb
Brass 1.50/lb

I took in a load today. Prices are still about what they were a month ago with the exception of brass.

#1 Copper 2.85
#2 Copper 2.85
Brass .55 (used to be 1.05)
Aluminum .40
insulated wire .40 (really thin stuff and computer ribbon cables)
die cast .15
electric motors .15
aluminum cans .60

My town sucks for scrap prices most of the time. The highest i have EVER seen copper was $2.20 per pound. And they dont even pay more for #1 or bare bright. Its just one price for all copper,. Sucks. Im going to have to drive 3 hours to a different place to recycle next time

You are getting robbed at only $2.20 lb. The COMEX price for copper was back over $4.50 lb today.

Here is a scrap dealer in Camden, NJ that pays fair prices for copper http://rfanellessons.com/

As of 04/08/2011

Bare Bright Copper: $3.80/lb.

#1 Copper: $3.55/lb.

#2 Copper: $3.35/lb.

Maybe you can get a big box and ship them your copper. ;-)

Jeb you'd be better off going to Camden Iron and Metal. They pay a little more and you can actually get in and out of the yard. The non-ferrous yard is on 6th st, the scrap yard is right past Fanelle's. i get off at atlantic and kaighn make a left at the light and follow it all the way to the end. If you come from philly you have to make a right at the light.

Originally Posted by ScrapperNJ26

Jeb you'd be better off going to Camden Iron and Metal. They pay a little more and you can actually get in and out of the yard. The non-ferrous yard is on 6th st, the scrap yard is right past Fanelle's. i get off at atlantic and kaighn make a left at the light and follow it all the way to the end. If you come from philly you have to make a right at the light.

ScrapperNJ26 thanks for the info, but Camden is a 35 minute drive for me (if no traffic). I just gave Raleigh Kleeb the info and link so he could see what fair prices for copper scrap are.

I am a 7 minute drive from Trenton Iron and Metal and Scarpati's Recycling in Trenton, NJ. The prices may not be quite as high as in Camden, but they are close enough and time and fuel are money. Trenton Iron and Metal is a busy scrap yard and very easy to get to right off of Route 1. They even have their own railroad siding across the street from the scrap yard. Most of the scrappers that cruise my neighborhood sell to them.

Prices Auto Recyclers is a scrap yard in New Egypt, NJ that pays odd prices. Higher prices for iron than Trenton, but way lower prices for nonferrous metals. They are also too far away to take iron there. http://pricesautorecyclers.com/index-2.html

I'd love to get higher prices for scrap, but just as in real estate location, location, location makes all the difference.

I actually called the 2 recycling centers in my town yesterday. One is at 2.50 for all copper and the other is at 2.80 for #1 and 2.60 for #2.