Creating a Powerful Business

Copper is used in piping, electrical wiring, and many other household and commercial construction applications. Due to the wide range of uses that copper possesses, it is valued highly at recycling centers. If your line of business involves tearing down old structures, then salvaging the copper that you and your employees discover can be profitable.

Separating Metals

Brass, bronze, steel, tin, iron, and aluminum are some other metal types that can be recycled. Brass and bronze are copper alloys. Determining what types of metal you have collected can be performed by color classification methods.

Copper will be a reddish hue and may contain bluish or greenish streaks if oxidation has occurred. Non-copper metals may be gray in color. Copper alloys can be a range of shades, including gold, orange, and red.

Even if your main objective is to collect copper, you will likely want to salvage other metals that may net you a profit. Less sought-after metals may not pay as much per pound as copper, but if you collect enough of these less valuable metals, you may find that taking the time to recycle each of them is well worth it.

Disassembling, Sizing, And Cleaning Steps

A recycling center may be particular about the condition of the copper and other metal components that they accept. When tearing down materials that contain metal, remove fasteners or other materials that metal is housed inside of. Large spools can be used to store copper wire. Spools will keep wire neatly contained and will provide convenience when transporting the copper.

Bins or a racking system can be used to store other types of metal. Sort through the metal pieces and separate them by color. Designate one bin or rack for each metal type. To further classify the metal, place pieces together that are similarly sized.

The extra steps that are taken to separate metal pieces may save you some time when you drop the metal off at a copper recycling center. The person who is on the receiving end will be able to quickly assess what you are selling and provide you with an estimate of how much the metal pieces are worth.

It isn't necessary to clean scrap metal that is going to be recycled, but you may want to wipe pieces off that are greasy or that have a thick layer of dirt on them. By doing so, the vehicle that you use to haul the recyclables in will not get dirty during the transport process.