While not quite as abundant as some other metals, scrap copper is easy to find and can earn you a pretty penny when you bring it to a scrap metal recycling center like Middleboro Recycling! Copper can be found in many different places: household appliances, fasteners, power cables, pipes, valves, fittings, storage tanks, wiring, and much more. Copper is one of the most valuable scrap metals because of its usefulness in a wide variety of applications. Because of the metal’s unique properties, copper can be bent, molded, and used to conduct heat and electricity. Copper is also highly resistant to corrosion, so it can be recycled over and over again with minimal loss. Other factors like the price of raw materials, fuel prices, transportation costs, and more also affect the selling price of scrap copper. Continue reading below to learn about the different types of copper and what makes them valuable to scrap metal recycling centers!

Categories Of Scrap Copper

Much like with other metals, copper is broken down into a few individual categories depending on its source and condition. The two main categories of copper are primary (clean copper) and secondary (contaminated copper). These subcategories can be broken down further:

#1 Copper

#1 copper is primary copper that is clean, unalloyed, and uncoated. Some examples of #1 copper include plumbing pipes, bare copper bars, and copper tubing. #1 copper typically has no signs of tarnishing.

#1 Insulated Copper Wire

#1 insulated wire 1/16th of an inch thick and typically has plastic insulation surrounding it. If a copper wire does not have a plastic coating, it may be classified as bare bright copper.

#2 Copper

#2 copper is secondary copper, or contaminated copper, that has a coating: paint or solder. To be classified as #2 copper, the metal must be unalloyed and have a minimum copper content of 94% – 96%.

#2 Insulated Copper Wire

#2 insulated wire is less than 1/16th of an inch thick (thinner than #1 insulated wire) but also has plastic insulation around it. In some cases, #2 insulated wire may show some signs of tarnish or corrosion.

Contact Middleboro Recycling Center!

If you have any questions about selling scrap metal in Southeastern Massachusetts, please don’t hesitate to contact Middleboro Recycling Center! A member of our team would be happy to help you in any way that we can. Give us a call at (508) 946-2383 or fill out the contact form on our website. If you’re wondering what your scrap metal might be currently worth, check out the pricing page on our website!