Scrap Metal Prices in Devonport
Estimated scrap yard payouts in Devonport on : about $12.59/kg for bare bright copper, $2.31/kg for aluminium extrusion, $7.35/kg for yellow brass. These are our estimates from MetalpriceAPI market prices × typical payout rates × Devonport's 0.80× regional factor, not quotes from Devonport yards; call a yard before you go. Where these numbers come from.
Devonport's ferry terminal handles bulk metal flows between Tasmania and the mainland. Local yards compete with shipping-cost-driven export options.
Current scrap metal prices in Devonport
Spot price equivalents adjusted for Devonport's regional rate (0.80×). Actual yard payouts apply the grade-specific payout rate on top — typically 12–78% of spot depending on grade.
| Metal | Sydney spot | Devonport equiv. | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | $20.17 | $16.14 | Grades & payouts → |
| Aluminium | $4.43 | $3.55 | Grades & payouts → |
| Brass | $15.32 | $12.25 | Grades & payouts → |
| Steel | $0.42 | $0.34 | Grades & payouts → |
| Stainless Steel | $2.38 | $1.90 | Grades & payouts → |
| Lead | $2.73 | $2.18 | Grades & payouts → |
| Zinc | $5.46 | $4.36 | Grades & payouts → |
| Nickel | $23.49 | $18.79 | Grades & payouts → |
Where these numbers come from
| Figure | Value | Source | Type | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper spot price | A$20.17/kg | MetalpriceAPI (LME-linked market data) | Market data feed | |
| Aluminium spot price | A$4.43/kg | MetalpriceAPI (LME-linked market data) | Market data feed | |
| Brass spot price | A$15.32/kg | Calculated: 67% copper + 33% zinc (MetalpriceAPI) | Our calculation from feed prices | |
| Steel spot price | A$0.42/kg | Fixed site estimate of A$0.42/kg | Fixed estimate, not a market feed | |
| Stainless Steel spot price | A$2.38/kg | Calculated: 8% nickel (MetalpriceAPI) + a fixed A$0.50/kg chromium allowance | Our calculation, partly a fixed estimate | |
| Lead spot price | A$2.73/kg | MetalpriceAPI (LME-linked market data) | Market data feed | |
| Zinc spot price | A$5.46/kg | MetalpriceAPI (LME-linked market data) | Market data feed | |
| Nickel spot price | A$23.49/kg | MetalpriceAPI (LME-linked market data) | Market data feed | |
| Devonport regional factor | 0.80× | Our model (freight distance and yard rate differences) | Our estimate | |
| Grade payout rates | 12–78% of spot | 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. Set when the site launched on 2026-05-16 and not updated since. No live steel scrap price feed is used. The chromium allowance is a fixed figure set on 2026-05-16, not a market price. Full detail: methodology.
How Devonport compares
Scrap yards in Devonport pay roughly 20% below the Sydney national benchmark (0.80× regional adjustment). Among Australian regional centres, rates here are closest to Whyalla (0.80×). The lower payout reflects Devonport's distance from major smelters and ports — transport costs to processing facilities reduce what yards can pay sellers.
Where the yards are in Devonport
Devonport's scrap buyers are south of the city in Quoiba and Spreyton. Quoiba, five kilometres out on the Mersey, is the industrial suburb with the cannery, cardboard plant and saleyards, and Spreyton next door holds the second yard. Latrobe, a few minutes further south, has a third. East Devonport, across the river, is the freight side of town rather than a scrap precinct.
Buyers are small independents and depots of the statewide locally owned recyclers based in Hobart and Launceston. Competition is thin, and Burnie's yards 46 kilometres west are the nearest alternative.
Where Devonport's metal goes
Devonport is Tasmania's busiest freight port, handling over half the state's imports and exports, and since October 2022 the Spirit of Tasmania's roll-on roll-off freight service has run from here to Corio Quay in Geelong. That gives Devonport the most direct road-and-sea link to Victoria's recyclers of any Tasmanian city, landing a trailer 75 kilometres from Melbourne's western mills. The alternative is the Bell Bay processing yard, about 150 kilometres east via Launceston. The sea crossing is still the cost that sets the payout.
What's different about selling in Devonport
Tasmanian law requires yards to check documentary identification and keep records under the Second-hand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Act 1994, though cash is not banned as it is in Victoria. Recycle Rewards pays 10 cents per eligible drink container. Local scrap comes from vegetable farming and food processing, with Simplot's frozen vegetable plant among the largest employers, plus a steady trade in worn farm machinery. Hobart is 280 kilometres away.
Sources for the Devonport sections above (last checked ):
Rules for selling scrap in Tasmania
- Governing law
- No scrap-specific Act. The Second-hand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Act 1994 applies and does not mention scrap metal specifically. Dealers do not hold a licence but must give the nearest police station at least one month's written notice before starting business.
- Photo ID
- Section 9 says a dealer must not receive goods unless the seller produces documentary proof of identity showing their correct name and address. The Act sets no points system, weight or value threshold, so expect to show ID for any sale to a dealer covered by the Act.
- Cash payments
- No cash ban. The Act contains no payment method rules.
- Container deposit scheme
- Recycle Rewards, 10 cents per eligible container, launched 1 May 2025. Most aluminium, glass, plastic, steel and carton containers between 150 mL and 3 litres are accepted.
- Also worth knowing
- Dealers must keep prescribed records of second-hand goods bought above a prescribed value (section 10) and must not alter or dispose of goods within 7 days of receiving them (section 11). ABLIS refers dealers to the Second-hand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Regulations 2026 for record-keeping detail.
Summarised from the legislation and government guidance below (more on our state-by-state rules guide). Rules change; confirm with the yard before you go.
Other Tasmania scrap markets
Yards across Tasmania pay rates relative to their distance from major smelters and ports. Hobart is the state capital and typically has the most competitive rates in the state.
Popular items: what they're worth in Devonport
Estimated scrap value at Devonport yards. Assumes properly prepared material (oil drained, copper stripped from motors, refrigerant degassed where required).
Scrap yards in Devonport
4 scrap yards listed in the Devonport area with addresses, phone numbers, and ratings. Browse all 4 yards →
Frequently asked questions about scrap metal in Devonport
Where are the best scrap metal yards in Devonport? +
Our yard directory lists Devonport yards with addresses, phone numbers and Google ratings, but we don't rank them — the best yard for you depends on the metal, the load size and who is paying well that week. The practical approach is to call 2-3 yards before transporting a load: published rates are useful guides, but actual offers vary by day, load size, and material quality.
Why does Devonport pay less than Sydney for scrap metal? +
The 20% gap to Sydney reflects transport costs. Metal sold in Devonport eventually travels to a smelter or export port — typically via Hobart — and yards price the freight cost into their offer. Our regional adjustment is modelled from observed yard rates plus distance to processing facilities.
What's the highest-paying scrap metal in Devonport? +
Copper, by a wide margin. Our estimate for clean bare-bright copper in Devonport is around $12.59 per kilogram (spot price × 78% payout rate × 0.80 regional factor). Brass and aluminium follow, with steel paying the least per kilogram but compensating through volume — most ferrous loads are weighed on commercial weighbridges where small differences in rate matter less than tonnage.
Do Devonport scrap yards require photo ID? +
Section 9 says a dealer must not receive goods unless the seller produces documentary proof of identity showing their correct name and address. The Act sets no points system, weight or value threshold, so expect to show ID for any sale to a dealer covered by the Act. (No scrap-specific Act. The Second-hand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Act 1994 applies and does not mention scrap metal specifically. Dealers do not hold a licence but must give the nearest police station at least one month's written notice before starting business.; last checked 2026-09-02.)
Can I be paid cash for scrap metal in Devonport? +
No cash ban. The Act contains no payment method rules. (Last checked 2026-09-02.)
What other TAS cities have scrap yards? +
Yes — Burnie, Hobart, Launceston all have active scrap yards covered on this site. Hobart (the Tasmania capital) generally has the most yards and most competitive rates in the state.