Northern Territory · Regional centre · 0.72× regional adjustment

Scrap Brass Prices in Alice Springs

Scrap brass in Alice Springs currently pays from $6.02 per kilogram for plumbing brass up to $7.12 for red brass. Alice Springs is a regional centre in Northern Territory, with rates set by transport distance to the nearest capital and smelter network.

Brass grades and payouts in Alice Springs (per kg)

Estimated yard payouts for each grade, based on the current LME spot ($15.21/kg) and Alice Springs's 0.72× regional adjustment. Actual offers vary by yard, load size, and material quality.

Grade Payout rate Est. mid (AUD/kg) Range
Yellow Brass
Standard yellow brass (60-70% copper, 30-40% zinc), the most common grade.
60% $6.57 $5.58 – $7.56
Red Brass
Higher copper content (~85%), reddish tinge. Pays more than yellow brass.
65% $7.12 $6.05 – $8.19
Plumbing Brass
Brass with soldered joints or steel attachments — needs extra processing to separate. Pays less than clean yellow.
55% $6.02 $5.12 – $6.93

Price history

Local Alice Springs prices track the national brass series — multiply by 0.72 for Alice Springs equivalents. View the full 30-day chart on the national brass page.

Where these numbers come from

Figure Value Source Type Checked
Brass spot price A$15.21/kg Calculated: 67% copper + 33% zinc (MetalpriceAPI) Our calculation from feed prices
Alice Springs regional factor 0.72× Our model (freight distance and yard rate differences) Our estimate
Brass grade payout rates 60% / 65% / 55% Our estimate from published yard rate cards Our estimate

Spot prices are converted to Australian dollars per kilogram. Yard payouts are our estimates (spot × grade payout rate × regional factor), not quotes from any yard. Full detail: methodology.

Brass in Alice Springs

Alice Springs is the most isolated major scrap market in Australia. Long-haul freight to Adelaide or Darwin makes large yard payouts hard to sustain — most non-ferrous metal accumulates locally until shipment economics work.

As a regional centre, Alice Springs's brass flow comes primarily from residential renovations, local trade work, and rural property clearances. Yards in Alice Springs consolidate volume for shipment to processing facilities in larger centres.

Scrap yards in Alice Springs that buy brass

1 scrap yard listed in the Alice Springs area. Browse all yards in Alice Springs →

Frequently asked questions

What's the current price for scrap brass in Alice Springs? +

Today's estimated payouts in Alice Springs range from $6.02 per kilogram (plumbing brass) up to $7.12 (red brass). Prices update daily and reflect Alice Springs's 0.72× regional adjustment from the Sydney benchmark. See the grades table above for all payouts.

Where can I sell scrap brass in Alice Springs? +

Check the Alice Springs yard directory for addresses and phone numbers, then call 2-3 yards before transport. Most Alice Springs yards accept brass in all common grades, though smaller yards may have minimum weight requirements. For larger loads, also consider yards in Darwin.

Why does Alice Springs pay 28% less than Sydney for brass? +

Transport cost. Brass sold in Alice Springs eventually travels to a smelter or export port — typically via Darwin — and yards price the freight cost into their offer. The 0.72× regional adjustment models this transport drag based on observed yard rates and distance to processing facilities.

How is brass graded at Alice Springs yards? +

Alice Springs yards use the same grading system as the rest of Australia: Yellow Brass, Red Brass, Plumbing Brass. The grade depends on cleanliness, alloy purity, and contamination. See our complete <a href="/metals/brass/">Brass grading guide</a> for what each grade means, examples, and how to identify it.

Do Alice Springs scrap yards require photo ID? +

For goods covered by the Act (such as gold and silver), section 277 requires the dealer to record the seller's full name and residential address and verify identity with a passport (current or expired less than 24 months), a photo driver licence, or other prescribed means. For ordinary scrap metal there is no statutory ID requirement in the Act or Regulations, although yards may still ask for ID. (No scrap-specific Act. Part 14 of the Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading Act 1990 licenses second-hand dealers; last checked 2026-09-02.)

Can I be paid cash for scrap metal in Alice Springs? +

No cash ban was found in the Act or Regulations. (Last checked 2026-09-02.)

Is it worth driving from Alice Springs to a bigger city for higher brass rates? +

Generally no, unless you have a very large load. Fuel costs from Alice Springs to Darwin quickly eat the rate difference, especially for a single residential load. The exception is high-value loads of clean copper or brass — for loads above a few hundred kilograms of clean material, the maths can work out. For everything else, consolidate locally and accept the 0.72× rate.

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