Scrap Metal Prices in Geraldton
Geraldton's port serves Mid West mining, fishing, and grain export. Scrap yards benefit from mining services activity.
Current scrap metal prices in Geraldton
Spot price equivalents adjusted for Geraldton's regional rate (0.83×). Actual yard payouts apply the grade-specific payout rate on top — typically 12–78% of spot depending on grade.
| Metal | Sydney spot | Geraldton equiv. | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | $20.56 | $17.06 | Grades & payouts → |
| Aluminium | $4.62 | $3.83 | Grades & payouts → |
| Brass | $15.61 | $12.96 | Grades & payouts → |
| Steel | $0.42 | $0.35 | Grades & payouts → |
| Stainless Steel | $2.37 | $1.96 | Grades & payouts → |
| Lead | $2.65 | $2.20 | Grades & payouts → |
| Zinc | $5.57 | $4.62 | Grades & payouts → |
| Nickel | $23.31 | $19.35 | Grades & payouts → |
How Geraldton compares
Scrap yards in Geraldton pay roughly 17% below the Sydney national benchmark (0.83× regional adjustment). Among Australian regional centres, rates here are closest to Launceston (0.83×). The lower payout reflects Geraldton's distance from major smelters and ports — transport costs to processing facilities reduce what yards can pay sellers.
Where the yards are in Geraldton
Geraldton's scrap trade is split between two industrial suburbs. Webberton, on the northern side of the city, has the long-established yard that was bought by a Perth-based exporter and now focuses on non-ferrous metal, with a larger steel yard added on Rudds Gully Road. Narngulu, an outer industrial suburb built around the rail yard and a mineral sands processing plant, hosts a second independent recycler.
There are only two or three buyers, and they are independents rather than a national chain. That keeps competition thin, so a phone call to each before selling a decent copper or brass load is worthwhile.
Where Geraldton's metal goes
The main yard's owner exports scrap in containers, and Geraldton's port is a bulk-handling port whose trade is iron ore, grain and mineral sands, so scrap most likely leaves in containers by road. Perth is 424 km south, with the state's largest shredder at Kwinana Beach and container export through Fremantle. That haul is the biggest single reason Geraldton payouts sit below Perth's: the freight comes off the price before the yard makes its offer.
What's different about selling in Geraldton
Western Australia regulates scrap through the Pawnbrokers and Second-hand Dealers Act 1994: since 1 December 2020 anyone buying scrap copper, brass or bronze must hold a second-hand dealer licence, take 100 points of identification from every seller and report each transaction to police, though cash itself is not banned. Containers for Change, the state's 10-cent container refund scheme, has run since October 2020 and was widened to most drink containers from July 2026, so cans are usually worth more at a refund point than on the aluminium scale. The Mid West economy is mining, wheat and sheep, and commercial fishing, so yards see mine-site steel and machinery, farm scrap and boat fittings more than residential renovation offcuts, and mining-services contractors are the largest source of clean industrial volume.
Rules for selling scrap in Western Australia
- Governing law
- No scrap-specific Act. The Pawnbrokers and Second-hand Dealers Act 1994 and Regulations 1996 apply, but the Regulations (as at 11 June 2025) exclude ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal from the definition of second-hand goods except gold, silver, copper and copper alloy (including bronze and brass). Only dealers in scrap copper, brass, bronze, gold or silver need a WA Police second-hand dealer licence.
- Photo ID
- For copper, copper alloy, gold or silver, the licensed dealer must verify the seller's identity to at least 100 points using the checks in regulation 13 (photo documents score higher). For steel, aluminium and other scrap outside the Act no statutory ID requirement was found, although yards may set their own.
- Cash payments
- No cash ban. The licensing change that took effect on 1 December 2020 did not stop cash payment (as reported by the building industry's PACT Site Security), although licensed dealers must record and report copper and copper alloy transactions.
- Scrapping a vehicle
- To cancel a vehicle licence, surrender the number plates at a DTMI service centre or regional agent (or lodge Form VL14 if the plates are lost or stolen) and apply for a pro rata refund of licence fees. Vehicles on the Written-Off Vehicles Register need the date of the accident on the refund application.
- Container deposit scheme
- Containers for Change, 10 cents per eligible container, since 1 October 2020. Expanded from 1 July 2026 to almost all drink containers between 150 mL and 3 litres.
- Also worth knowing
- PACT Site Security reported that the December 2020 change carries penalties of $2,000 to $5,000 and up to 12 months imprisonment for individuals, or fines up to $20,000 for companies, and that dealers must hold copper for 14 days without altering it. Those points come from an industry body, not from the regulation text.
Summarised from the legislation and government guidance linked on our state-by-state rules guide. Rules change; confirm with the yard before you go.
Other Western Australia scrap markets
Yards across Western Australia pay rates relative to their distance from major smelters and ports. Perth is the state capital and typically has the most competitive rates in the state.
Popular items: what they're worth in Geraldton
Estimated scrap value at Geraldton yards. Assumes properly prepared material (oil drained, copper stripped from motors, refrigerant degassed where required).
Scrap yards in Geraldton
4 scrap yards listed in the Geraldton area with addresses, phone numbers, and ratings. Browse all 4 yards →
Frequently asked questions about scrap metal in Geraldton
Where are the best scrap metal yards in Geraldton? +
Our yard directory lists Geraldton 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 Geraldton pay less than Sydney for scrap metal? +
The 17% gap to Sydney reflects transport costs. Metal sold in Geraldton eventually travels to a smelter or export port — typically via Perth — 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 Geraldton? +
Copper, by a wide margin. Clean bare-bright copper currently pays around $13.31 per kilogram in Geraldton. 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 Geraldton scrap yards require photo ID? +
Yes for most non-ferrous metals and always for lead-acid batteries and catalytic converters. Western Australia legislation requires yards to record seller identification on regulated transactions, primarily to deter metal theft. A driver's licence is the most commonly accepted form. Cash payments above certain thresholds may require additional documentation under state-specific regulations.
What other WA cities have scrap yards? +
Yes — Albany, Bunbury, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Mandurah, and others all have active scrap yards covered on this site. Perth (the Western Australia capital) generally has the most yards and most competitive rates in the state.
When is the best time of week to bring a load to a Geraldton yard? +
Tuesday through Thursday mornings generally produce the best experience. Yards are less crowded than Mondays (when weekend volume arrives), prices are stable mid-week, and weighbridge wait times are shorter. Many Geraldton yards close early on weekends or operate reduced hours, so confirm opening times before transport.