Brass is a copper and zinc alloy, and its value sits between the two. It is dense, so a surprisingly small pile can be worth collecting, and it is common in plumbing, heating and engineering waste streams that often get thrown into general scrap by mistake.
The grades we buy
Yellow brass (Honey)
The everyday grade: plumbing fittings, valve bodies, taps, sheet offcuts, keys, fixtures. Some steel or plastic content is expected and deducted rather than rejected.
Brass borings and turnings
Machine shop arisings. Keep them free of steel swarf, which is the usual contaminant on a shared machine, and drain the cutting fluid.
Gunmetal and bronze
Bearing shells, bushes, marine fittings, valve internals and pump components. Higher tin content and generally worth more than yellow brass, so it is worth separating rather than tipping it in with the fittings.
Radiator ends
Brass tanks from copper and brass vehicle radiators. Usually collected alongside the copper cores.
Telling brass from bronze
Brass tends toward yellow, bronze toward red-brown, but a coating of oxide can make both look the same. We test with XRF rather than judging by eye, because the difference matters to the price and neither of us benefits from a guess. If you are unsure, do not separate them by appearance; bring them as they are.
What reduces the price
Chrome and nickel plating on taps and fittings is normal and priced in. Steel inserts, plastic handles and ceramic cartridges are deducted. Rubber washers and PTFE tape are negligible in small quantity but add up across a large load of fittings.
Preparing brass for collection
- Separate gunmetal and bronze from yellow brass if you can identify them confidently.
- Keep borings clear of steel swarf.
- Leave plating alone; it does not need removing.
- Drain valve bodies and fittings of trapped water.