Brass Scrap Price: What It’s Worth and How to Maximise Your Return

Brass is a high-demand alloy used in everything from plumbing fittings and industrial valves to musical instruments and automotive parts. If you’re dealing with brass offcuts, old fittings, or obsolete equipment, don’t throw it away—scrap brass is valuable.

What Is Brass?

Brass is a metal alloy made mainly from copper and zinc. It may also include small amounts of tin, lead, or iron depending on the application. Brass is non-magnetic, corrosion-resistant, and durable, which makes it ideal for:

• Plumbing pipes and taps
• Electrical connectors
• Lock components
• Ammunition casings
• Architectural hardware
• Decorative metalwork

Its high copper content gives brass a solid resale value on the scrap market.

Types of Brass Scrap

To maximise the return on your brass, it’s important to understand its category. Scrap yards often divide brass into these common grades:

1. Yellow Brass

• Most common form of brass scrap
• Found in plumbing fittings, taps, and mechanical components
• Contains 60–70% copper
• Usually the highest-paying grade of brass scrap

2. Red Brass (Gunmetal)

• Higher copper content (85–90%)
• Contains small amounts of tin and lead
• Found in valves, bearings, and bushings
• Fetches a premium over yellow brass due to higher purity

3. Mixed Brass

• Combination of yellow and red brass, sometimes with minor contamination
• Includes household hardware and lower-grade fittings
• Priced lower than sorted brass

4. Brass Shells

• Spent ammunition casings (cleaned and de-primed)
• Must be free from live rounds and contaminants
• Requires special handling but can fetch good rates

Current Brass Scrap Price (as of 2025)

Brass scrap price fluctuate based on copper content, global demand, and the quality of your material. Below is a general guide to current rates:

Note: Prices vary by location, quantity, and market changes. Always confirm with your local scrap yard before selling.

What Affects Brass Scrap Prices?

Several factors impact how much you’ll get for brass scrap:

1. Copper Market Trends

Because brass contains copper, its price tracks closely with copper prices on the global commodity market. When copper demand is strong, brass scrap prices typically rise.

2. Purity and Grade

Higher-purity brass (like red brass) commands more per kilo. Mixed or contaminated scrap reduces value due to the extra processing required.

3. Volume

Larger volumes often qualify for better rates. Many scrap yards offer tiered pricing for 100kg+, 500kg+, or commercial bulk.

4. Contaminants

Scrap that contains paint, rubber, steel bolts, or plastic fittings must be processed before recycling. This reduces its resale value.

5. Location

Prices vary by city and scrap dealer. Competitive urban markets often offer slightly higher rates than rural areas.

How to Prepare Brass for Sale

To maximise your brass scrap price:

• Separate by grade: Sort yellow, red, and mixed brass. Don’t mix materials.
• Remove contaminants: Strip away plastic, rubber, or steel parts.
• Clean your brass: A quick brush or wipe-down removes dirt and grease, which reduces weight and improves pricing.
• Cut down large pieces: Easier-to-handle items are quicker to weigh and assess.
• Weigh your material: Get an estimate of your total weight to compare with dealer quotes.

Where to Sell Brass Scrap

Most licensed scrap metal dealers, recycling yards, and metal merchants accept brass scrap. Look for one that offers:

• Transparent pricing: Updated daily and shown online or in-store
• Digital scales: For accurate weighing
• Instant payment: Same-day bank transfer or EFT
• Free collection: For bulk or commercial volumes
• Licensed and insured operations: Ensures compliance with local laws

If you're a plumber, contractor, or tradesperson in Melbourne, Sydney, or Brisbane, consider establishing an ongoing relationship with a reputable yard for better rates and service.

Why Is Brass Recycling Important?

Brass is 100% recyclable without loss of quality. Recycling brass helps:

• Reduce the need for new mining
• Conserve energy (recycling brass uses 90% less energy than refining new metal)
• Lower greenhouse gas emissions
• Support the circular economy
• Keep waste out of landfills

Australia has a strong metal recycling industry. Selling your brass scrap supports local jobs and sustainable industry practices.

Selling Brass Scrap as a Business

If you generate brass scrap regularly—such as from manufacturing, plumbing, demolition, or metalwork—consider setting up:

• Scheduled pickups with a local dealer
• Bulk pricing agreements for better per-kilo rates
• On-site bins for collection and sorting
• Metal recycling reports to track revenue and environmental impact

Commercial clients may qualify for higher rates and faster service depending on volume and consistency.

Final Word

The brass scrap price reflects a mix of copper market rates, material quality, and volume. With copper demand staying strong in 2025 and beyond, brass remains a high-value scrap metal worth collecting and selling.

Whether you’re clearing out a shed, scrapping plumbing materials, or managing commercial offcuts, don’t let that brass go to waste. Sort it properly, clean it, and sell it to a licensed scrap yard for a solid return.

Let me know if you'd like this article branded for a specific business, adapted for a landing page, or broken into multiple blog posts for SEO.

Tools