What are the Main Types of Metals You Can Recycle?

If you have recently renovated your home or run a business that manufactures products with metal parts, there’s a good chance you have some scrap metal that can be turned into cash. It’s good to know which metals are the most valuable when it comes to recycling. Non-ferrous metals (such as aluminum, copper, and brass) are often worth more than ferrous metals (which have iron in them).

Metal recycling will not only allow you to turn your junk into cash, but it can also help to save the environment. To extract raw materials from the earth, mining companies use heavy excavators, haul trucks, and people with shovels to dig into the ground. This type of invasive digging not only destroys the soil but also releases a variety of toxic elements (such as radioactive rocks, metallic dust, and asbestos-like materials) into the air and water.

Check out our recycling page for more metals and pictures.

Types of Metal That Can be Recycled

Some of the metals that can be recycled include but may not be limited to:

• Copper — This is one of the most common metals you can find around your home and is one of the most highly sought after in scrap yards. If you have any old electrical appliances or some old pipes left over from a recent plumbing job, you most likely have some copper that can be scrapped and recycled.
• Brass — If you have something that looks gold when it’s clean but isn’t made of gold, there’s a good chance it’s made of brass. You can find this metal in all types of ornamental objects (such as candlesticks, plates, and trophies). Door handles, knockers, and bed frames can also have brass fittings.
• Silver — Scrap metal buyers will sometimes offer higher prices for silver than what may be offered at a jewelry store or pawn shop. If you have old jewelry, silverware, medals, or antique vases, you could make some easy money by turning your scrap silver into cash.
• Aluminum — The first thing people think about when it comes to aluminum scrap is soda cans. While aluminum cans and other types of packaging can give you a good return when they’re recycled at a scrap metal yard, there are plenty of other things that can offer a good supply of aluminum. Old electronics (such as computers and gaming consoles) can be good sources of this metal. Car parts and even bike frames can also have good amounts of aluminum.
• Stainless Steel — Because there’s so much of it, this type of metal is often seen as less valuable. But it often goes up in value because it has other metals (such as chromium or chrome, nickel molybdenum, and iron). Stainless steel is often found in appliances, different types of kitchen equipment, auto parts, and machinery found in factories and warehouses.
• Gold — Like silver, gold is a precious metal that’s worth more than other types of scrap. But it’s much harder to come by. The sources of gold that often come to mind include jewelry, old coins, and antiques. But, old electronics will often have parts with enough gold to make harvesting it worthwhile.

If you’re looking for one of the best places for metal recycling in Corpus Christi, be sure to get in touch with Dawsons Recycling and Disposal.