Scrap Metal Prices in South Africa

Scrap Metal Prices Per Kilogram

Below is the most up to date price for various scrap metals in your local area. There will be fluctuations that we cannot account for however our system pulls from a variety of providers to produce the values of each material throughout South Africa.

Last Updated On 2024-12-20

International Scrap Metal Prices

Scrap metal is a worldwide business with many variations in each country. If you deal or want to deal internationally then we are happy to bring to you up to date scrap prices from all over the world. Just like out methods for South African scrap metal prices our international prices are also updated often. Follow the links below to find the latest scrap prices from around the world. Great for comparing to your local prices or to start selling abroad.

• USA
• Australia
• Canada
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• New Zealand
• Spain
• United Kingdom

Currently we have a full price updated set up for the UK, USA, Canada and Germany with much more coming soon. Our uses drive this business so we often react to where the most interest is. If you want us to cover another area please don’t hesitate to get in touch and let us know this will help us choose our next area of coverage and we will get back to you personally to help find what you are looking for in that area. Currently we are working on expanding our price comparisons to Australia and New Zealand. However, if you are interested in scrap in a region that isn’t above then please contact us. We have scrap dealer all over that will be able to bring you information that you need.

Scrap Gold Price

Below you find today's prices for scrap gold.

The current scrap price of gold varies from day to day and depends on the purity, which is measured in carats. Even though the purest gold will get you the highest price for your scrap, it's not very common to have 24ct gold that you can scrap. Most people will have 14ct gold and you'll find it's very common to trade that in.

Scrap Silver and other Precious Metals

Below we have listed today's prices for the other precious scrap metals.

Silver is the most common precious scrap material that people have in their possession, but unfortunately also the one that fetches the lowest price. You'll mostly find that in jewelry such as bracelets, earrings and necklaces and it's not really worth to scrap it for the scrap price in those cases. You may want to try to sell it for the jewelry value instead.

Scrap Metal Grades

A major factor in how much money you will get from the scrap metal that you take to a scrap yard will be the grade of the metal that you have. There are a few systems that are use but South Africa uses a three grade system that is use to rate the quality of a material. The three grade are used to tell the difference between the scrap metal being brought to a scrap yard. Where possible a scrap dealer will be able to separate out material by grade and give the truest price for the material. This is something that some scrap yards are better at than others. The most valuable material will be grade 1 and fetches the highest price.

Per kilo grade 1 is by far the most valuable in all case when compared to the same material at grade 2 or 3. All scrap metal whether ferrous or non-ferrous can be graded. These are normally have less unwanted substances present, have little to no imperfections and are pure. As a result of the quality you can expect to get the highest prices. Do not expect to come across it too often however when you do it is a great surprise.

Obviously Grade 2 is less valuable then grade 1 as the scrap metal is of lower quality. It is much more common and it will make the bulk of the material that you find most likely. Often used in industry as this grade of material can still be very strong and more affordable. This is still a great find and can still get great prices.

The lowest quality material that a scrap yard will buy is grade 3. It is much less valuable as it is of significantly lower quality then grades 1 and 2. In South Africa there is a lot of aging infrastructure that now as damaged and lower quality materials. This is often where grade 3 material comes from once these things are replaced. This will likely be copper, steel and aluminium but grade 3 is still not that common even those these metals are.

Why Do We Recycle Scrap?

There are so many reasons why recycling scrap metal is a great idea. The most important is the environmental benefit that we get from removing unwanted scrap metal from the local area. Otherwise it can leak into water and soil. By recycling there is less need for producing new material. This is fantastic for the environment and helps to combat waste and fight against climate change. Lead is particularly toxic and recycling efforts have reduced toxicity throughout South Africa. The benefit of recycling that most users of this site are all interested in is making money from scrap metal. Over the past decade more and more people in South Africa are realising the amount of money that they can make from buying and selling scrap metal in South Africa and this is the biggest driver of recycling. This is great for both the individual and the environment.

By recycling metal we can avoid the need to harvest so from the earth via mining around the world, including South Africa. Ming has terrible consequences for our planet. It ruins ecosystems, pollutes local towns and exploits the miners who work there. By recycling we reduce how much material is taken from the earth, reducing the power companies have over the price of metal and control over people. Reusing scrap metal can drive prices down, making material available to more people though out South Africa and bring communities together.

In the larger cities in South Africa like Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban the residence have a stronger interest in reducing the local pollution as they are the most affected places in South Africa. Recycling scrap metal is key to improving the healthier of the cities and their residence. Scrap metal, its mining and production hugely impact the levels of pollution of the air and water however by recycling this will be reduce significantly. This is a growing problem all over South Africa but by selling scrap metal you can make a difference and make some money at the same time.

Most Valuable Scrap Metals

Clearly different materials will be worth different amounts of money. This is can be based on a huge number of things. Some metals are worth a lot more than others. Titanium has a huge values when compared to stainless steel for example. However it is unlikely you will be able to find huge amounts of titanium. This is why we always tell people to be as diverse as possible, both with the material they sell as well methods of sourcing it. Copper is the most common money maker for most people. It is valuable and was widely used in the past so is still easy to get your hands on it. As it is so valued for recycling most scrap yards will give great prices and it rare that you are offered much below market value.

Price of Scrap Aluminium

Aluminium is the one of the most use materials in the world and will likely make up a huge amount of what you find. Per tonne it does not have the highest value but as it is so readily available it can make a lot of money. While copper and other materials will be the best per kilo money maker. Aluminium will be the foundation of your business. Our favorite places to find aluminium are cars, these are often made mostly of aluminium and many people will even pay for you to take their old car away, drinks and food cans and some tools.

Price of Scrap Copper

As mentioned scrap copper is one of the most valued materials for scrappers because of its high price and availability. It should be the material highest on your list to search for. It should not be difficult to find to find as it has been used in many different industries and for so many different applications. We recommend that you look for copper wiring first as it is everywhere and often in huge amounts. This can be a great way to make some money. Other sources are old cooking equipment, housing parts and industrial light.

Price of Scrap Zinc

Zinc is extremely valuable however it can be hard to get hold of. It is brittle at room temperature and expensive to produce often alternatives are used. Zinc will make up much of your buying and selling of scrap metal however it is important to have some knowledge about it and know potential places to find it. It is commonly used in fishing weights and in anything that need protection from corrosion.

Price of Scrap Iron

Iron is most important metal in the world. It has been the driver in the creation of the modern world and is a huge part of our history. Used as it cheap and reliable it is by far the most abundant metal on the planet. From the perspective of a scrapper its extremely low value makes it not a high priority unless collecting and selling it won’t take up to much time or energy. Good source are old industrial equipment and old cars. At least these source are heavy to add to the value.

Price of Scrap Brass

Brass is known for its amazing color, often being used it art or ornate housing fixtures. It is comprised of copper and zinc. The zinc gives brass amazing anti-corrosion properties hence its use in musical instruments. You will find that, depending of quality, brass has a decent price.

Price of Scrap Lead

Since the discovery as to how toxic lead is it is used much less now than in the last 50 years. It is very dense and has a low melting point so is unique among metals giving it some specific functions such as insulating against radiation. It does have enough value to pick up and take to the scrap yard so keep an eye out for it in foundations and old guns.

Price of Scrap Steel

If iron is the material of the past steel is very much the material of the present. Hugely strong and cheap to make it is available in every home or industry. Again because of its abundance it is has a low price but is worth looking out for particularly as it often available in huge amounts. Machining tools are a great place to source steel as well as older boats.

Price of Scrap Tin

Tin is another material that has a high price but is rare to find in large amounts, often added to an alloy there are not many places to get raw tin. One possible option is anything that contains a lot of solder as this is a main use for tin.