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Metals can be recycled again and again without degrading their properties. That’s why scrap metal is a world-known industry. Scrap metal is the discarded pieces of metal that are no longer used in their original form and, therefore, recycled and reused. These used pieces of metal are collected from the metal industries and construction sites instead of being thrown away. After that, these metals are processed and transformed into useful materials. Recycling scrap metal is a valuable resource that minimizes ore mining worldwide. Different types of scrap metals are available in the scrap industry. In this article, we’ll explain different types of scrap metals.
Scrap metal is a combination of waste metallic material/used metal that is re-melted to make new products. Whether it’s vehicle parts, production leftovers, or household items, scrap metal holds tremendous value. The Australian metal recycling industry’s estimated worth is about $4.3 billion, which means a lot.
Scrap material arises for both commercial and residential residues. However, the ratio of domestic scrap material is about 60% more than that of commercial. Whether a ferrous or non-ferrous metal, turning it into a usable secondary raw material is majestic.
The market value of the metal is always the same due to its recycling property. For example, old car metal parts are removed, melted down, and used in making new cars, electrical appliances, or construction materials.
Unfortunately, due to a lack of proper knowledge and sources of metal recycling, metals are dumped away.
Scrap metal is classified into two main types: ferrous and non-ferrous metal. Following is the main difference between the two:
Ferrous is a Latin word mainly used for iron and steel. The ferrous metals have magnetic attraction; therefore, you can easily identify them. Steel, iron, and wrought iron are common examples of ferrous metals that are usually used for manufacturing refrigerators, cars, cabinets, etc.
Although ferrous metals are less valuable than non-ferrous metals because they are prone to rust. However, they are known for their durability and strength. They are easy to melt and reshape to make new automotive appliances, machine parts, and metallic components.
Let’s figure out the list of ferrous metal scraps:
The key ferrous metal scraps are iron metals. They are the most recycled material due to their high abundance and wide use. Although iron metals get rust when exposed to moisture however they are easily recycled after cleaning. Examples of iron metal scraps are cars, appliances, and industrial machinery chains.
It is a heavy ferrous metal known for excellent heat retention and used to make heat-resistant materials. Its brittle property makes it usable for making pipes, machinery, and automobile parts. Various examples of cast iron scraps are engine blocks, cylinder heads, brake drums, transmission parts, cookware, stoves, grates, machine bases, radiators, and fittings.
The rare, hard, malleable iron known for making furniture, gates is wrought iron. It is valuable and its scraps originated from old buildings, fences, gates, decorative elements, plows, farm tools, and older machine parts.
The most recycled metal is stainless steel. It is made of a combination of iron and carbon, which makes it more durable. It is found in everything from cars to construction, machinery to appliances. The scraps of stainless steel are generated from kitchenware, construction appliances, roofing, cladding, structural components, tanks, pipes, processing pieces of equipment, body panels of vehicles, and finishing elements.
These are common types of ferrous metal scrap and come from buildings, bridges, and infrastructure projects. Moreover, scraps are generated during metalworking operations, end-of-life vehicles (ELVs), production scrap, and automotive components.
Alloys are a mixture of two or more metals or a metal mixture with non-metallic elements to create a substance with enhanced properties. The main purpose of making alloys is to improve the characteristics of metals like durability, corrosion resistance, and strength. Ferrous metal alloy scraps are primarily made with iron and other metals. Examples include:
Alloy formed by the combination of carbon and iron. Their hardness and strength depend on the carbon content. Low-carbon steels are more ductile and easy to weld, while high-carbon steels are hard and strong.
Iron is alloyed with other elements like aluminum, chromium, nickel, and silicon. The amount of alloy varies from 1-50%, depending on the composition and need. These alloys improve the mechanical properties of metals like strength, corrosion resistance, toughness, and hardness.
The scraps of a wide range of alloys originate from construction materials, automotive components, machinery parts, consumer goods, etc.
The non-ferrous metals are non-iron metals, have non-magnetic properties, and have high resistance against rust and corrosion. Non-ferrous metals are the most valuable scrap metals for recycling. Examples include aluminum, brass, copper, zinc, tin, lead, and nickel. These metals are usually found in plumbing materials, electrical wires, window frames, etc. Non-ferrous metals are more valuable than ferrous metals due to their flexibility and lightweight.
Rare and precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum are also non-ferrous. They are recycled and used to make jewelry, watches, electronic devices, and other valuable items.
Following are some examples of non-ferrous scrap metals:
It is a lightweight and highly corrosion-resistant non-ferrous metal used to make packaging, transportation, and construction materials. Aluminum scrap is found in the form of ingots and profiles and is used to make cutlery or cans.
It is an alloy of copper and zinc, used in decorative goods, musical instruments, and plumbing fixtures. Brass scrap is obtained in different forms including shavings, tinning, or wires.
It is an alloy of 88% copper and commonly 18% tin with the addition of other metals including aluminum, nickel, metalloid, or silicon. Bronze is the most durable and strongest metal used in making machinery and sculpture. Its scrap is obtained from damaged industrial machinery, decorative accessories, and the jewelry sector.
It is a valuable recycling metal and has high conductive and corrosion resistance. Copper scraps are extracted from cables, pipes, PVC wires, or electric motors. The material can be found in kitchen utensils or, especially, in anything related to pipes.
It is a shiny-grayish-blue metal abundantly found on the Earth. Lead is dense and malleable; therefore, widely used in batteries, pipes, and radiation shieldings. Its scrap is gathered from old batteries, ammunition, and construction work. The gamma-ray absorption property of lead makes it valuable in X-ray rooms, nuclear power plants, and for careful handling and disposal.
It is a silver-white lustrous metal, widely used in making coins. Due to its high resistance against rust, it is used in stainless steel, batteries, and electrical motors. Nickel scrap is present in stainless steel, and chemical processing equipment.
Highly soft, silver-white metal has high malleability and is ductile with corrosion-resistant properties. It is used as a coating to remove corrosion on cans or electronics. Tin scrap is collected from electronic device covers, liquid containers, and tin packs.
Tungsten/Wolfram is the strongest metal on Earth due to its high tensile strength. Known for its high melting point, it is used in rocket nozzles, cutting tools, heavy machinery, and furnace components. Tungsten scrap has heat resistance and is durable; therefore, being reused in aerospace components, light bulbs, etc.
It is a crucial metal widely used to protect steel from corrosion. Zinc scrap provides a protective coating for iron and steel. It is used in alloys such as brass and bronze to enhance their strength and resistance.
Contact All Metals Scrap Company to recycle your metal scrap in Melbourne at an excellent rate.
All Metal Scrap offers reliable scrap metal pick-up services across VIC, Australia. We accept a wide variety of metals and pay competitive prices