Scrap Metal Guides & Market Notes
Practical guides for Australian scrap metal sellers: how to grade copper for the best rate, which appliances are worth tearing down, when the Container Deposit Scheme beats scrapping, how regional pricing works, and what the LME actually means for your local yard payout.
- Market
Scrap metal market wrap — August 2026
What happened to Australian scrap prices in August: zinc was the only metal to finish higher, up 2.7%, while nickel led the fallers at -3.1%.
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Selling scrap metal in Australia: the ID, cash and paperwork rules in every state
What photo ID you need, where cash is banned, and what to do with a scrapped car when selling scrap metal in each Australian state and territory.
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Scrapping a whole car in Australia: sell it whole, or strip it first?
How cash-for-cars buyers price a dead vehicle, the paperwork you must sort first, and which parts are worth pulling before the truck arrives.
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What happens at the weighbridge: how yards grade your load, and what to do when it's downgraded
How an Australian scrap yard visit runs — weighing, grading, the ticket — and what you can reasonably do when a load is graded lower than you expected.
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What 'clean' actually means at the yard, metal by metal
What Australian yards count as clean or dirty for each of the eight common scrap metals, with home tests and which contaminants are worth removing.
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Scrap metal market wrap — July 2026
What happened to Australian scrap prices in July: copper led the board with a 4.4% gain, and lead was the month's only faller.
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Why Darwin pays less than Sydney: understanding regional scrap pricing
The same kilogram of copper is worth different amounts depending on which Australian city you sell it in. Here's why location changes the price — and how to use that knowledge.
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Container Deposit Scheme vs scrapping: when each one wins
For aluminium and steel cans, Australia's 10c Container Deposit Scheme almost always beats scrap value — but not always. Here's exactly when to redeem and when to scrap.
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What's actually inside your appliances: a scrap teardown value guide
Old fridges, washing machines, and air conditioners are full of valuable metal — but most of it is hidden inside motors and compressors. Here's what's worth pulling apart before the yard, and what isn't.
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Bare bright vs #1 vs #2 copper: the grading guide that pays for itself
Copper is the most valuable common scrap metal, and how it's graded at the yard makes a dramatic difference to what you're paid. Here's how Australian yards sort copper, and how to prepare yours for the top rate.
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How to read the LME — and what it actually means for your scrap load
The London Metal Exchange sets the price of copper, aluminium, and most other metals worldwide. Here's how that global benchmark turns into the rate a Sydney or Perth yard pays you per kilogram.
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