Identifying The Various Types Of Scrap Metal
If you are planning on making some extra money by collecting and selling scrap metal to scrapyards, you will need to learn how to identify the various types of scrap metals. While this is not absolutely necessary, the more you know, the more money you are going to make. For instance, if you take a bunch of different items made from different metals to the scrapyard, they are going to give you a dollar amount for the weight of all of the metals combined. But, it may be that some of the metals are worth more than others. When you know how to identify the metals, you can sort them, and sell each type of metal separately to earn more money. Here are some of the ways you can identify scrap metals.
Use a Magnet
Some metals are magnetic, while some are not. You can use a magnet to identify items made from cast iron, tin, and steel (including stainless steel which also has other metal alloys). If the magnet doesn't pick up an item, it is likely made from aluminum, brass, silver, or copper. Now it is time to get deeper into the identification.
Identifying Steel
Once you have identified items as being made from steel, you need to identify the type of steel. You can do this by looking at it. Items made from stainless steel will be silver in color, and shiny. If it is galvanized steel, the color will be duller and lighter, and there will be no rust at all.
Identifying Cast iron
You can pretty much tell if an item is made out of cast iron, because it will be a dark, blackish color. It is also magnetic, which is another way to know for sure what it is. It is also very heavy. Most of the cast iron items you will find will be frying pans and other kitchen items.
Identifying Copper
It is easy to identify copper, because it has a very distinct bright, orange-red color. If it has been exposed to outside conditions, it will be oxidized and be green in color. You will find copper in electrical wiring, and it is one of the more valuable of the scrap metals.
Identifying Aluminum
Aluminum is silver in color, and it is malleable, meaning that it is easily bendable. Most soda and beer cans are made from this metal, making it very easy to identify. It is also one of the easier metals to take for recycling, because it is lightweight and you don't have really heavy loads.
To learn more about recycling scrap metals, contact Full Circle Recycling.