Have you ever wondered what all of that scrap metal on your property might be worth? Well, if that scrap metal happens to be brass, the answer could be “a lot more than you think!” It’s true, when it comes to how much brass is worth, the answer can surprise you.
But it isn’t only the money you can earn from recycling brass that makes it worth it. In addition to discussing more about how much brass is worth, this post is also going to share several other reasons you should recycle brass.
What is Brass?
Chances are, you’re a lot more familiar with recycling items made of aluminum than brass. That means you might also not know much about brass itself. To start off, let’s talk a little bit more about this non-ferrous metal. It’s considered “non-ferrous” because it has no iron in it, unlike a material such as steel.
A quick way to tell if a material is ferrous or non-ferrous is with the help of a magnet. Typically, if a magnet sticks to an item, it’s ferrous. If it doesn’t, it’s non-ferrous.
In addition to being non-ferrous, there are many other interesting qualities about brass worth noting. It’s an alloy made of copper and zinc, and it can be used for a variety of important purposes. Brass is known for its high conductivity, a relatively low melting point, and its resistance to corrosion. This means it’s ideally suited for a number of purposes, including decorative, mechanical, and electrical. Music fans will also appreciate knowing many instruments have historically been made of brass, including trumpets, tubas, and trombones.
You’ll also find a number of other everyday objects are made with brass, including:
- Door handles
- Coat hooks
- Door locks
- Letter boxes
- Light fittings and switches
As interesting as these facts may be, we know you’re still wondering, “How much is brass worth?”, so let’s discuss that next!
How much is brass worth?
As with most materials, the value of brass can fluctuate on a daily basis. As of 2021, brass tends to be worth about $1.76 per pound with brass scrap coming in at around $1.74 per pound.
When you compare this with the value of other recyclable materials,(including cast aluminum at about $0.45 per pound) you see why so many people want to learn more about recycling brass!
What to know if you’re recycling brass
Before we get to other reasons to recycle brass that don’t relate to money, let’s discuss some other things you should know about the process.
First, it’s helpful to make sure your brass scrap is organized and free of dirt, dust, oil, paint, other metals, and plastics. This helps ensure you get the best value for your materials.
Of course, it’s also helpful to work with professional scrap metal recyclers, like the team at Scrap Gators. We can take care of making sure your scrap is organized and collected properly. We also know where to take your material to ensure you receive top dollar for your scrap brass. Simply put, we make the process as effortless, straightforward, and profitable for you as possible!
If you do plan to collect scrap metal yourself, be sure to listen up to this next point! Before you start collecting these materials, be sure to wear protective clothing, including gloves. It’s never worth risking a cut or a serious infection.
Other reasons to recycle brass
Now let’s move onto some other great reasons to start recycling brass.
Infinite recycling capacity
One of the other things that’s so interesting about brass is its capacity to be recycled as many times as you can count! Unlike other products that lose certain characteristics or qualities during the recycling process, brass never loses its chemical or physical properties during the recycling process. Because of this, you can continue to reap the rewards of recycling brass over and over again!
Environmental advantages
When you recycle brass rather than tossing it out, you’re helping to keep it out of landfills that are already packed to their limits. At the same time, it also negates the need to mine for new brass—a process that is very taxing on the environment. Mining for new materials (in this case brass) is far less economical than recycling brass in the first place. The process to recycle brass gives off far fewer emissions than mining for new natural resources.
Economic advantages
Now that you know much brass is worth, you know about the economic advantages when it comes to your own wallet. But did you know recycling brass comes with a number of advantages when it comes to the broader economy?
Because recycling brass requires fewer resources than mining new materials, it helps keep the cost of this valuable resource down!
How much is commercial scrap brass worth?
As commercial scrap metal recyclers in Florida, we often work with people who operate in the marine industry. A variety of marine equipment contains not only valuable scrap brass, but a number of other valuable materials. What some boat owners don’t know is how much scrap value you are sitting on when you are customizing your boat or getting rid of an old vessel. In fact, sailboat ballasts are very heavy and could be worth thousands of dollars in lead scrap value!
How is scrap brass recycled?
We have an extensive blog post on the topic here, but in brief, this is how the brass scrap recycling process works:
Processing
The first step involves the use of powerful machines to flatten or crush brass into sheets. To do this, you first need to get your brass scrap to recycling centers! Or let Scrap Gators do this for you.
Melting
Once the machines flatten the brass into sheets, it can then be melted into liquid form. If there’s a lot of brass to be melted this can take several hours. For smaller quantities, it could be done in minutes.
Decontamination
The decontamination process involves refining the melted brass. Doing so can break it down into separate compounds (like copper and zinc). Alternatively, more of these compounds can be added to alter the brass’s composition.
Hardening
Once the brass is done with the decontamination process, the liquified metal can be cooled and transported. This part is really interesting because it’s when the melted brass can be cooled into its final shape! Whether that’s tubes or bars, it’s an incredibly exciting process!
Transportation of the Metal Bars
Now that the brass has been cooled into its final shape, it’s time to be sent off to its new home to serve a new purpose. Then, when it’s ready to be recycled again, the process can start all over again.
Recycling brass with Scrap Gators
So, if you’re in the Fort Pierce area and you’re interested in learning more about recycling brass or other non-ferrous materials, give us a call!
Here are some of the scrap metal recycling services we provide:
Electronics
- Personal computers
- Laptops
- Servers
- Tablets
Construction & Demolition
- Roll Off Containers
- Flatbed Services
- Equipment Removal
- Free Onsite Consultation
Office & Warehouse Clean Outs
- Heavy Equipment
- Machinery
- Shelving Units
- Shipping Crates
With all of these services, we feel it’s important to remind you no job is too big or too small for us!
Whether you’re looking to remove outdated mechanical systems, clean out vacant buildings, in the middle of construction and need more space, or simply want to get rid of some extra junk, we have the know-how to make sure your projects run smoothly.
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