A Big Frustration for Scrap Metal Recyclers

A recent article published on the sitep named the top seven frustrations of scrap yards. Top of the list is "lack clarity about scrap metal grade." This frustration is even more frustrating because it can affect both buyers and sellers of scrap.

Metal scrap that is misidentified can pose a serious problem. Manufacturers who buy scrap must be able to accurately identify the composition and grade of scrap before it is introduced into a process. This will ensure that the end product quality, safety and regulatory compliance are not compromised. This issue also affects the value of the metal, which impacts the bottom line for both parties.

There is a large amount of scrap material that can be identified and sold. USGS states that cars are the main source of scrap steel - over 15 million tons is recycled annually. This large supply of steel scrap is also boosted by structural and appliance steel, rebar, reinforcement steel and steel packaging. It is easy to imagine that the steel scrap arriving at the recycling facility may not be clean. Who knows what metals or alloys are mixed together in the truckloads of scrap that arrive at the recycling facility?

It's also not possible to sort alloys by color. Grey and rust, for example, are not good indicators of what metals can be used. World Steel Organization states that there are more than 3,500 grades of steel, which is an alloy made of iron, carbon, manganese, phosphorus and sulphur with small amounts of oxygen and silicon.

No wonder so many scrap recycling businesses have trouble telling the difference between metals. How can scrapyards make sure they pay the correct price for the metals they purchase, and also ensure that the metals they sell to manufacturers are accurately identified?

The business of a scrap metal recycling service in Sydney is dependent on meeting customer requirements. In a previous article we stated that if the metal was not sorted and checked, it could have disastrous consequences. Aerospace and automobile parts made from the wrong materials can fracture and break when used. Ships made of corrosive alloys may sink. Skyscrapers might crumble if structural steel begins to bend.

It's not only the steel industry. Aluminum production is very selective about what scrap they buy. Post-consumer scrap, in contrast to the neatly packaged and well-defined alumina material that manufacturers are used to, is a mix of wrought grades and casting grades. It is possible that the exact chemical composition of scrap and any contaminants or hazardous materials are unknown. Read more about Aluminum in the Scrap Industry.

Copper is another popular metal that can be recycled. It is likely that the copper used in these products has been mixed with other materials. copper theft is also a problem.

Scrap metal operations can identify materials accurately and reliably using portable XRF analyzers. The XRF technique (X ray fluorescence), is used to analyze materials without destroying them. The XRF analyzer measures the secondary (or fluorescent) X rays emitted by a sample after it has been excited by a primary source of X rays. XRF spectroscopy can be used to analyze the composition of materials qualitatively and quantitatively. Each element in a sample emits a unique set of fluorescent X rays (a fingerprint).

X ray fluorescence is of great value to scrap-metal recyclers, as they are able to positively identify a variety of alloy grades and analyze their chemical composition quickly at the material transfer point. This allows them to assure their customers that their product will be high quality. The salvage company could lose thousands of dollars per shipment if buyers reject it or downgrade the metal.

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Created on Apr 28th 2023 01:55. Viewed 84 times.

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