Top 10 Metals That Yield the Highest Return in Recycling 2024
Which metals will give you the highest return?
Recycling metals is a smart way for businesses and tradesmen to make extra money while contributing to environmental sustainability. However, not all metals are created equal—some have a much higher return value than others. In this article, we'll take a look at the top 10 metals that yield the highest return in the UK, based on their average market value and demand in 2024.
1. Copper
Copper consistently tops the list of valuable scrap metals due to its wide usage in electrical wiring, plumbing, and industrial machinery. Its excellent conductivity and resistance to corrosion make it highly sought after. Scrap copper can fetch between £4,000 and £5,000 per tonne, depending on its grade. Bare bright copper wire—the cleanest and most valuable form—commands the highest prices. We go into more detail within our tradesman’s guide to copper.
Practical Tips: Look for copper in electrical wires, plumbing pipes, and roofing materials. Use a wire stripper to strip wires of insulation and separate clean copper from mixed or contaminated metals to maximise the price.
2. Brass
Brass, an alloy of copper and zinc, is commonly found in plumbing fixtures, musical instruments, and decorative items. Because it contains a significant amount of copper, brass holds substantial value in the recycling market. Scrap brass typically sells for around £2,700 to £3,200 per tonne. The value can vary depending on the alloy's quality and the ratio of copper to zinc. For more detail, take a look at our tradesman’s guide to brass.
Practical Tips: Identify brass by its yellowish-golden colour and heavier weight. Remove any non-metal parts (like plastic or rubber) from brass items and polish them to make them more appealing to buyers.
3. Aluminium
Aluminium is lightweight and versatile, found in everything from beverage cans to car parts and construction materials. It’s easy to recycle and uses significantly less energy than producing new aluminium. Scrap aluminium prices average between £800 and £1,200 per tonne. Although the price is lower than copper or brass, aluminium's sheer abundance makes it a popular choice for recyclers. Think you have aluminium lying around, our tradesman’s guide to aluminium may be able to help.
Practical Tips: Look for aluminium in drink cans, window frames, and car parts. Crush cans to save space, and remove any steel components (which are magnetic) to avoid downgrading your scrap's value.
4. Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is a corrosion-resistant alloy that contains chromium and often nickel, adding to its value. It is commonly used in kitchenware, medical equipment, and construction. The price for scrap stainless steel is influenced by its grade, with the most common grade, 304 stainless steel, fetching around £700 to £900 per tonne. 316 stainless steel, which contains more nickel, can be worth even more.
Practical Tips: Separate different grades of stainless steel, as those with higher nickel content (like 316 stainless steel) fetch better prices. Clean the metal of any food residue or paint to improve its value.
5. Lead
Lead is predominantly used in batteries, pipes, and roofing materials. Despite its relatively low scrap price of about £1,300 to £1,600 per tonne, it is still valuable because of its high density and recyclability. Recycling lead is significant due to its toxic properties, which pose environmental and health risks when improperly handled.
Practical Tips: Lead is dense and grey in colour; check for it in old pipes, roofing materials, and batteries. Due to its toxicity, handle lead with care, and avoid dismantling lead-acid batteries yourself—leave this to licensed recyclers.
6. Zinc
Zinc is often used to galvanise steel to prevent rusting and is found in a range of products, including roofing materials and die-cast products. Scrap zinc generally fetches between £1,100 and £1,500 per tonne. Due to its importance in construction and industrial applications, zinc's value has remained relatively stable.
Practical Tips: Identify zinc by its bluish-grey appearance. Look for it in items like gutters, die-cast products, and roofing materials. Separate zinc from other metals to ensure a fair price.
7. Nickel
Nickel is a critical component in stainless steel production and is also used in batteries, coins, and specialised alloys. As a high-demand metal with applications in many industries, nickel commands prices around £12,000 to £15,000 per tonne. Although not as commonly found in general scrap collections, it is worth seeking out where possible due to its high market value.
Practical Tips: Nickel is often found in stainless steel alloys, coins, and batteries. Look for its slightly magnetic property. Keep nickel scrap clean and separate from other metals to maintain its high value.
8. Tin
Tin is often used to coat other metals to prevent corrosion, such as tin cans, solder, and various alloys. It’s less abundant in the scrap market but can still yield a reasonable return. Scrap tin prices usually range from £18,000 to £22,000 per tonne, although availability and demand can cause significant price fluctuations.
Practical Tips: Tin is commonly found in coatings and tin cans. Remove any paper or plastic labels from cans, and flatten them to save space. Keep tin separate from other metals.
9. Iron and Steel
While iron and standard (non-stainless) steel are less valuable per tonne than many other metals—generally around £150 to £250 per tonne—they are extremely abundant. Their wide usage in construction, automotive manufacturing, and many household items means that the total amount of recyclable material is vast. This volume can still result in a substantial overall return when recycling large quantities.
Practical Tips: Use a magnet to differentiate between ferrous (magnetic) and non-ferrous metals. Clean off rust, paint, or other contaminants to improve the price, and bundle small pieces together for easier handling.
10. Platinum Group Metals (PGMs)
Metals such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium are among the most valuable metals on earth, often used in catalytic converters and various electronic components. Although they are not frequently found in general scrap collections, their high value makes them worth mentioning. Scrap platinum can command prices upwards of £20,000 per kilogram, while palladium and rhodium can be even more valuable, depending on market conditions.
Practical Tips: PGMs are often found in catalytic converters, electronics, and some lab equipment. To avoid damaging valuable components, leave complex dismantling to professionals.
Conclusion
Understanding which metals yield the highest return can help businesses and tradesmen make more informed decisions when collecting and sorting scrap materials. While prices fluctuate due to market demand and supply, metals like copper, brass, and aluminium consistently offer strong returns, while more niche metals like nickel and PGMs can yield significant profits in smaller quantities.
For the most accurate and up-to-date prices, always check with local scrap yards or recycling facilities. They will provide the current rates based on metal grades and market conditions.
Infographic shows Top 10 Metals to Recycle in 2024
Sources:
Local UK Scrap Metal Dealers and Recycling Centres Data (2024)