Copper Recycling in Bastrop

Bastrop, Texas, is known for its breathtaking scenic views of nature, outdoor activities and walkable downtown district. The secret is out, and more people are moving to this charming Texas town than ever before. Industries are moving here as well.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX announced plans to build a 520,000-square-foot facility in Bastrop. This will bring in even more people who will need housing. With the influx of people to Bastrop, construction will increase. When construction increases, so too will the amount of scrap copper produced.

Copper is a very valuable commodity and recycling it can help save your company a  lot of money. Gardner Metal Recycling has been helping contractors improve their company’s bottom lines for over 50 years.

How is Copper Used?

Copper is used for wiring, water pipes and electronics among many other things. You can find copper in automotive parts, generators and refrigerators. Odds are the device you are using to read this contains copper.

The reason copper is such a valuable metal is that no matter how many times it is recycled, it never degrades in quality. A piece of copper that was mined 200 years ago is every bit as good today as it was then.

Types of Recyclable Copper

Knowing a little about the scrap you plan to recycle can earn you extra money when you take your scrap into the yard.

#1 Copper

This is the grade of copper that will get you the most money. #1 copper has no solder, paint, brass fittings or other debris attached to it. #1 copper can be found in plumbing fixtures, radiators or electronic devices.

#2 Copper

#2 copper is going to be of lesser quality. It might be dirty or corroded. It might have paint, solder or other materials attached to it that reduce its value.

When scrap metal has debris attached to it, it takes time and effort in order to get it ready to be recycled.

Copper Scrap Prices

Like anything that is bought, sold or traded, the value of copper scrap fluctuates due to market conditions.

Should the production of electronic devices slow down, the metals used to make those devices will see a decrease in demand. With less demand for copper, the value of copper will drop.

The best way to keep up with current scrap copper prices is to reach out to your local scrap yard. They will be able to give you the most up-to-date prices for your copper and give you tips on where to find the best sources of valuable scrap metal.

Copper Recycling Process

There are a few different ways to recycle copper. This is a standard method of recycling copper wire, but there are also methods that involve dissolving the copper in a solvent in order to get it to its purest form.

Sorting

The very first step is to sort the copper by quality. Having presorted copper will help you make more money when you take your copper to the scrap yard.

Having high-quality copper mixed in with low-quality copper means that the recycling facility will have to do the sorting. It’s better to come prepared with your scrap metal already sorted.

Granulation

A granulator is a piece of heavy machinery that strips the insulation from copper wires. After your copper has gone through the granulator, the metal will have been reduced to small copper shavings. This makes it much easier to melt the copper when using it for a new product.

Repurposing

Once the copper has gone through the granulator, it is packed up and shipped off to various manufacturing concerns. There they will melt the copper down to be turned into pipes, wires, electronic components and countless other products.

Why Bastrop Businesses Should Sell Copper Scrap

Recycling scrap copper is a great way to increase your company’s profit margin. Copper is extremely valuable and not recycling it is no different than leaving money on the table.

Aside from the financial benefits of copper recycling, it is good for the environment. It costs much more to mine virgin ore than it does to recycle copper. Copper recycling is the perfect way to help conserve natural resources. There is no reason that copper scrap should ever end up in a landfill.

We offer scrap metal dumpster rental, as well as many other services to the Bastrop community.

If you are interested in learning more about how copper scrap recycling can help your business, contact Gardner Metal Recycling for your free consultation.