Scrap Brass Prices in Australia
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, typically in a 67:33 ratio for yellow brass. Because copper is the dominant component, brass prices closely track copper — and the price gap between brass and pure copper has narrowed substantially over the last decade as copper has appreciated. For sellers, the key facts are simple: brass is heavy, brass is non-magnetic, and brass with steel attached needs to be separated to get the clean rate.
30-day price trend
Brass grades and Sydney payouts (per kg)
Estimated yard payouts in Sydney. Other cities adjust by ±5–20% depending on transport distance to smelters.
| Grade | Payout rate | Est. mid (AUD/kg) | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Brass Standard yellow brass (60-70% copper, 30-40% zinc), the most common grade. | 60% | $8.08 | $6.87 – $9.29 |
| Red Brass Higher copper content (~85%), reddish tinge. Pays more than yellow brass. | 65% | $8.75 | $7.44 – $10.06 |
| Plumbing Brass Brass with soldered joints or steel attachments — needs extra processing to separate. Pays less than clean yellow. | 55% | $7.40 | $6.29 – $8.51 |
Where to sell brass
Payouts vary by city based on transport distance to smelters and ports. Sydney sets the national benchmark; remote cities pay less.
How brass is graded
Australian scrap yards typically work with three brass grades: red brass (highest), yellow brass (standard), and plumbing brass (mixed). Each grade reflects the proportion of copper to zinc and the cleanliness of the material.
Red brass has a higher copper content — around 85% — and a distinctive reddish-orange tinge. Marine fittings, some pump valves, hose nozzles, and certain ornamental hardware are red brass. The higher copper content means yards pay 5-10% more per kilogram than yellow brass.
Yellow brass is the standard grade and the one most household sellers encounter — 67% copper, 33% zinc, distinct golden-yellow colour. Plumbing fittings, door hardware, cartridge cases, ornamental items, instrument parts, and most “ornamental brass” of unknown provenance fall here. Clean yellow brass — free of steel screws, plastic seals, and chrome plating — pays the bulk of the brass yard rate.
Plumbing brass is the catch-all for yellow brass with soldered joints, attached steel components, or significant contamination. Most plumbing fittings end up here unless the seller has time to disassemble them. The discount versus clean yellow is around 10%.
A few items confuse the grading. Chrome-plated brass — common on bathroom taps and fittings — is still yellow brass underneath the thin chrome coating; yards accept it as such. Brazed brass joints introduce brazing rod material into the melt; this is treated as plumbing brass. Painted ornamental brass is uncommon but treated like plumbing brass when it occurs.
Because brass is denser than aluminium and lighter than lead, a kilogram of brass takes up about half the volume of a kilogram of aluminium. This matters for transport — a ute load of brass scrap weighs more than the same volume of any other common scrap metal except lead.
Where brass comes from in Australian homes
Brass in residential scrap is concentrated in a small number of predictable sources, all of which are worth knowing for sellers consolidating mixed loads.
Plumbing hardware is the dominant source. Taps, mixers, spindles, hose-bibs, gate valves, ball valves, and various pipe fittings are nearly all yellow brass. A typical mixer tap contains 0.8-1.2kg of yellow brass. Renovations and bathroom replacements are the consistent source.
Door and window hardware — older brass door knobs, hinges, locks, sash window fittings, and door knockers are commonly yellow or red brass. Heritage building demolitions yield substantial amounts. Modern hardware has largely shifted to zinc die-cast or stainless, so volumes from new builds are much lower.
Gas and BBQ fittings include brass regulators, valve bodies, and burner connections. A four-burner gas BBQ contains around 0.5kg of plumbing-grade brass mostly in the gas hardware. LPG bottle regulators and connectors are pure brass and worth separating during BBQ scrapping.
Musical instruments — old brass instruments (trumpets, French horns, trombones), retired or damaged beyond repair — are pure yellow brass at substantial weights, sometimes 3-5kg for a single instrument. Specialised but high-value when they appear.
Cartridge cases and bullet recovery from rifle and shotgun ranges produce significant volumes of cartridge brass for shooters and range operators. The brass is clean, predictable composition, and pays at or close to yellow brass rates depending on the yard.
Decorative and ornamental hardware — brass candlesticks, fittings, picture-rail clips, curtain rod ends, ornaments — turn up in deceased-estate clearances. Some “brass” decorative items are actually brass-plated zinc or brass-plated steel; a magnet test rules out steel, and weighing in hand against known brass identifies plated zinc (much lighter than solid brass of equivalent size).
Electrical hardware — older brass mains-plug pins, fuse holders, transformer terminals, and switchboard components are brass. Modern equivalents are usually nickel-plated steel or stainless.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell brass from copper at a glance? +
Colour: brass is yellower, copper is pink-orange. The exact shade varies — red brass is closer to copper, yellow brass is distinctly golden. Both are non-magnetic, so a magnet test only rules out plated steel, not the two metals from each other. Cutting a small chip with a file shows the same colour right through; if it's plated steel, the underlying material will be visible.
What's the difference between yellow and red brass? +
Red brass has higher copper content (typically 85% Cu, 15% Zn) and a reddish-orange hue. Yellow brass is the standard plumbing and hardware grade (67% Cu, 33% Zn) with a distinct golden-yellow colour. Red brass pays more because of the higher copper proportion — usually 5-10% premium on the same weight.
Why do brass plumbing fittings sometimes pay less than expected? +
Soldered or brazed steel fittings, steel screws, chrome plating, and internal rubber seals all contaminate the load. Yards typically grade these as 'plumbing brass' rather than 'yellow' — the discount is around 10%. Separating the brass from any steel attachments lifts you back to yellow brass rate. Chrome plating doesn't change the grade significantly because it's a thin surface coating.
Are brass shells (cartridge cases) worth more than plumbing brass? +
Marginally. Cartridge brass is a specific alloy (70:30) very close to yellow brass and accepted as such by most yards. Yards may pay a small premium for clean cartridge brass because of the predictable composition, but in volumes typical of residential sellers, the difference is minor.
Is the brass inside a tap valve worth removing? +
If you have many taps, yes — the internal brass cartridge or compression mechanism is often a higher grade than the outer body, particularly on older quality fittings. For occasional single-tap scrapping, the time isn't worth the gain. Demolition contractors and plumbers handling volume routinely separate.
Why is bronze sometimes priced like brass? +
Bronze (copper-tin alloy) and brass (copper-zinc alloy) are different metals chemically, but the visual and weight similarities mean yards often group them under the same rate unless the seller can specifically identify bronze items. Most residential scrap labelled 'bronze' — ornamental hardware, some plumbing — is actually red brass. True bronze (marine fittings, statuary, bearings) is rare in household scrap.