What Are Scrap Metal Prices in July 2026?

What are scrap metal prices right now? U.S. yard reports aggregated by GetScrapEx on July 30, 2026 put copper at roughly $4.55–$4.83 per pound, brass at $2.56–$3.97, aluminium grades at $0.32–$2.32 and ferrous steel at about $90–$360 per ton. Those are broad reported ranges, not a guaranteed counter price.

Grade, cleanliness, volume and location can move a quote as much as the commodity market does. Separate your load before calculating what it is worth.

July 2026 U.S. scrap price ranges

Material category	Typical reported range	Common household or building source
Copper	$4.55–$4.83/lb	Clean pipe, bus bar, stripped wire
Insulated copper wire	$0.74–$4.24/lb	Extension leads, building wire, cable
Brass	$2.56–$3.97/lb	Valves, taps, plumbing fittings
Aluminium	$0.32–$2.32/lb	Siding, extrusions, cans, cast pieces
Stainless steel	$0.31–$0.35/lb	Sinks, benches, some appliances
Lead	About $0.42/lb	Flashing, clean sheet lead
Steel and iron	$90–$360/ton	Beams, radiators, appliances, plate
Lead-acid batteries	$0.17–$0.23/lb	Car and equipment batteries

The data set covered 183 yards in 34 states, but no national average can tell you what one yard will pay this afternoon. Search local recycling centers and call two or three that handle your material. Ask for the specific grade, not “the copper price.”

Why two pieces of copper get different prices

Bare bright copper is clean, uncoated copper wire of a qualifying thickness. Number 1 copper includes clean pipe and wire without solder, paint or heavy corrosion. Number 2 accepts more contamination and mixed attachments, so it pays less. Insulated wire is priced partly by estimated copper recovery.

A box of cable is therefore not worth its gross weight multiplied by the clean-copper rate. The yard must account for plastic insulation, plugs, steel armour and processing. Burning insulation is unsafe, polluting and illegal in many places. Ask the yard how it grades cable before stripping it.

Brass has similar distinctions. Clean red brass, yellow brass and brass with steel attachments can receive separate prices. Use a magnet to find hidden steel, but do not rely on colour alone. Plated zinc and other alloys can resemble brass after years in a damp garage.

Aluminium has the widest-looking range

Aluminium categories include cans, siding, extrusion, cast aluminium, sheet, wheels and copper-aluminium radiators. A clean extrusion should not be mixed with food-contaminated foil or a steel-fastened window frame.

Remove screws, rubber, thermal breaks and other attachments only if the extra payment is worth your time. Ask the buyer for both the clean and mixed rates, then do the arithmetic. Spending an hour to gain three cents on ten pounds earns 30 cents.

Home renovators should keep aluminium siding and clean gutters dry and separate from general demolition waste. A labelled bin for each metal prevents a good grade from being downgraded at the scale.

Steel prices are usually quoted by the ton

Steel and iron have low value per pound compared with copper or brass. The July range of $90–$360 per ton equals about 4.5 to 18 cents per pound. Grade and preparation explain much of that spread.

Heavy prepared steel cut to the yard’s required dimensions can pay differently from light iron, appliances or mixed tin. A half-ton load may be worthwhile; three rusty shelves may cost more in fuel to deliver than they return.

Appliances also need special handling. Refrigerators and air conditioners contain refrigerant, while water heaters may hold sediment and insulation. Confirm what the yard accepts before loading. Never cut a sealed refrigerant line.

How to estimate the payment before leaving home

Use this simple calculation:

Net metal weight × quoted grade price = estimated gross payment

Find net weight by subtracting the empty container or trailer weight. For a 42-pound bucket of brass with a 2-pound bucket tare, the sale weight is 40 pounds. At a quoted $2.80 per pound, the estimate is $112.

For mixed loads, calculate each grade separately. Keep a note of the quoted price, yard name, employee and time. Scrap quotes may change daily, so ask how long the rate is valid.

Sorting that can raise the return

• Keep copper, brass, aluminium, stainless and ferrous metal separate.
• Remove easy steel attachments from higher-value nonferrous pieces.
• Separate clean copper pipe from soldered or painted pipe.
• Drain lawful fluids and keep material free from soil, concrete and rubbish.
• Weigh or estimate each pile before asking for a quote.
• Bring the identification and ownership records your state requires.

Do not dismantle utility equipment, street fixtures, beer kegs or catalytic converters without clear proof that you lawfully own them. Yards follow state and local recordkeeping rules for theft-prone material and may refuse it.

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Read the scale ticket

At the yard, watch the gross, tare and net weights. The receipt should list the grade and unit price for each line. If a load was downgraded, ask what contamination caused it; that answer tells you whether more preparation will pay next time.