Understanding different grades of aluminium is crucial for maximising your recycling returns. Today’s market offers varying prices for different grades, making it essential to know what you’re selling. Whether
you’re a first-time seller or an experienced recycler, this guide will help you navigate the complex world of aluminium grades and ensure you get top dollar for your materials.

Understanding Aluminium Grades: The Basics

The value of your scrap aluminium  depends primarily on three factors: purity levels (ranging from 96% to 99%), contamination, and processing requirements. Pure aluminium content significantly impacts value, with higher purity consistently commanding better prices. Contaminants like paint, steel fittings, or oil can substantially reduce worth, while materials requiring minimal processing always command better prices. Understanding these classifications isn’t just about getting better prices—it’s about contributing to efficient metal recovery processes.

High-Value Aluminium Grades

Premium Wire Scrap (TALON/TASSEL)

Clean wire (TALON) represents the highest value in the market, consisting of bare bright aluminium wire free from insulation. This category includes power transmission lines and clean telecommunications cable. While burnt wire (TASSEL) still holds significant value, it commands lower prices due to residual contamination and additional processing needs. The presence of any insulation or oxidation can impact the final price significantly.

Aluminium Extrusions

Think of aluminium extrusion like squeezing toothpaste through a tube—but with molten aluminium being forced through a die to create specific shapes. The 6063 extrusion grade (TATA) is widely used in commercial applications, while the stronger 6061/7075 grade (TUTU) comes from specialised sources. Common sources include:

• Commercial window and door frames
• Aircraft components and marine fittings
• Architectural elements and sign frameworks
• Heavy-duty structural materials and automotive frames
• Sheet aluminium products and specialised industrial components

The key to maximising value lies in proper separation and contamination removal. Keeping different grades apart and removing non-aluminium attachments can significantly boost your returns.

Mid-Tier Aluminium Grades

Sheet Aluminium (TAINT/TALE)

Clean sheet aluminium (TAINT) includes roofing materials, guttering, and signage panels. Painted sheet (TALE) commands lower prices due to processing requirements. Value depends on thickness consistency, coating presence, and overall cleanliness. Regular maintenance and proper storage can help preserve the material’s value before recycling.

Used Beverage Cans (TALC)

UBCs represent one of the most consistently recycled forms of aluminium, with established collection and processing systems nationwide. To achieve maximum value, ensure your materials are:

• Free from non-aluminium contaminants and foreign objects
• Clean and dry to prevent degradation
• Crushed when possible to optimise transport efficiency
• Separated from other grades to maintain purity
• Stored in covered areas to prevent weather damage

Most scrap yards offer better rates for significant quantities of pre-sorted UBCs, making them an excellent target for systematic collection efforts. Establishing regular collection schedules and proper storage systems can help maximise returns.

Entry-Level Aluminium Grades

Turnings and Mixed Grades

While less valuable, turnings from manufacturing processes and mixed grades still play an important role in the recycling ecosystem. Clean turnings (TEENS) include machine shop swarf, drilling residue, and manufacturing offcuts. Mixed grades encompass automotive components, household items, and general workshop scrap. Proper handling and storage can help maintain value even for these lower-grade materials.

Maximising Your Scrap Aluminium Value

Sorting Best Practices

Proper sorting significantly impacts your returns and helps establish you as a serious seller. Essential practices include:

• Maintaining separate storage areas for different grades
• Removing non-aluminium attachments and contaminants
• Keeping materials dry and covered to prevent degradation
• Preventing contamination from oils and chemicals
• Implementing clear labelling systems for different grades

Regular monitoring of market trends, building volume before selling, and developing relationships with reputable dealers can further optimise your returns. The effort invested in proper preparation and sorting directly affects your bottom line, with even small improvements leading to significant increases in value.

Ready to Sell Your Scrap Aluminium?

Metal Men Recycling makes selling scrap aluminium straightforward and profitable. With our streamlined weighing and payment process, you can turn your scrap into cash quickly and efficiently. Contact us at 03 5941 6677 or visit our website to learn more about our competitive pricing and professional service.

Frequently Asked Questions About Scrap Aluminium

Here are the most common questions we receive about aluminium recycling and grading:

Q: How Do I Identify Different Aluminium Grades Without Specialised Equipment?

A: Several simple tests can help you distinguish between grades:

• Check the weight (cast is typically heavier than sheet)
• Look for identifying marks or stamps
• Assess the material thickness and rigidity
• Consider the original application
• Use a magnet to test for steel contamination

Q: What’s the Price Difference Between Clean and Painted Aluminium Extrusions?

A: Clean extrusions typically command 15-30% higher prices than painted materials due to reduced processing requirements. This price gap makes paint removal worthwhile for larger quantities.

Q: Are Aluminium UBCs Worth Collecting Separately?

A: Absolutely! Used Beverage Cans (UBCs) are one of the most consistently priced scrap aluminium materials. Their standard composition and established recycling processes make them a reliable source of income when collected in volume.

Q: How Much Does Contamination Affect Scrap Metal Values?

A: Contamination can significantly impact value, potentially dropping material down several grade levels. Even small amounts of foreign materials can lead to:

• Reduced prices
• Grade reclassification
• Possible load rejection
• Additional processing costs

Q: What’s the Minimum Quantity Required for Premium Pricing?

A: While this varies by dealer, most scrap yards offer better rates for:

• Full ute loads
• Commercial quantities
• Regular supply arrangements
• Pre-sorted materials

Q: Should I Separate Different Alloys Like 6061 and 6063?

A: For larger quantities, separating these alloys is worthwhile. Aluminium scrap dealers often pay premium rates for properly sorted structural alloys, particularly for grades like 6061 and 7075 used in aerospace and high-end manufacturing.

Steel is a material that keeps on giving. Its ability to be fully renewed without losing any of its original qualities makes it both economical and sustainable. This characteristic means steel recycling helps reduce costs while maintaining the same level of durability and strength. And in cities like Melbourne, efforts in metal recycling are proving just how valuable this process can be for both the environment and local industries.

Moreover, recycled steel is versatile enough to be reused in countless applications, from major infrastructure projects to smaller everyday items, ensuring it remains a cornerstone of modern manufacturing.

Use Of Materials Resulting from The Process

The production of steel generates valuable by-products like pig iron and slag. While pig iron is mixed with other materials to create steel, slag, often considered an impurity, has its uses too. It’s commonly employed in civil construction for paving, as well as a base material for cement.

This innovative use of slag reduces waste and highlights the creativity within industries to repurpose materials.

With advancements in recycling methods, slag is now even being explored as an ingredient in eco-friendly fertilisers, proving that every part of the process has potential.

Reduction Of CO₂ Emissions

Steel recycling plays a crucial role in lowering CO₂ emissions by reducing the need for raw material extraction. Mining operations for iron ore are energy-intensive and significantly impact the environment.

By focusing on recycling, industries not only preserve natural resources but also contribute to global efforts to combat climate change. The shift to more efficient recycling methods, such as the use of electric arc furnaces, further enhances these benefits.

These technologies lower energy consumption and emissions, making steel recycling an even more attractive option for businesses looking to reduce their carbon footprints.

Simplicity Of the Steel Recycling Process

One of the great advantages of steel is how simple it is to recycle. Unlike some other materials, steel often bypasses the blast furnace entirely, instead being melted down and mixed with other components in electric arc furnaces.

This straightforward process cuts production costs and ensures high-quality results. Organisations promoting selective waste collection are also making recycling more accessible to communities.

In cities like Melbourne, metal recycling initiatives are growing, encouraging individuals and businesses to rethink their waste disposal habits while supporting sustainable development.

The Most Recycled Metal In The World

With a recycling rate of approximately 90%, steel is the world’s most recycled metal. From towering bridges to simple household tools, recycled steel proves its versatility time and time again.

A prime example of its potential can be seen in the Eiffel Tower, constructed using recycled steel. Such iconic landmarks remind us that sustainability can coexist with architectural brilliance, encouraging industries to prioritise recyclable materials in their projects.

Preserving Natural Resources

Every ton of recycled steel saves over 1,100 kilograms of iron ore, significantly reducing our reliance on this finite natural resource.

By opting for recycling, industries not only preserve these materials but also minimise the environmental damage caused by mining operations. This approach ensures that steel remains a viable option for future generations, balancing economic growth with environmental preservation. Recycling steel is not just a choice; it’s an investment in long-term sustainability.

Social and Economic Benefits of Steel Recycling

Steel recycling contributes not only to environmental conservation but also to local economies. It creates jobs in waste collection, sorting, and processing, particularly in urban centres like Melbourne.

These efforts make cities cleaner and more sustainable while supporting the livelihoods of countless workers. Moreover, educational programmes on recycling are raising awareness about the importance of sustainability.

By fostering a sense of community responsibility, such initiatives encourage individuals and businesses to take part in efforts like metal recycling, ensuring a greener and more prosperous future for all.

Do You Need to Sell Scrap Metal?

Then look no further than Metal Men Recycling! If you have been inspired by this list of ways to recycle, reuse, and repurpose materials for Christmas gifts and you have scrap metal that you want to recycle, then we can help. Plus, if you are a business in need of professional metal recycling services, Metal Men can assist with that too. With over 50 combined years of metal industry experience, we proudly provide our customers with a seamless experience from start to finish.

When you are ready to recycle scrap metal, sell it to us by contacting 03 5941 6677, or fill out our online contact form.