How much does scrap steel go for these days?

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

Just curious about what it is fetching these days. I used to keep up with it, but haven’t in some time. Who can help me out? Thanks in advance! Jim

2

Google “Scrap Steel prices” and you will get lots of places that will charge you money to tell you that you need to show up with the steel to get a quote… but there are plenty of others that will list the prices (with a caveat that prices are subject to change without notice).

Sullivan Metals

http://www.sullivanmetals.com/price_list.php

lists steel prices ranging from $150 to $220 per GT (2240 pounds) depending on the type of steel.

3

We are paying $185 per ton for Prepared 3’, $150 for Unprepared, and $130 for tin and wire.

We are located in Minnesota.

Matt

4

thanks, guys!

5

I take my aluminum can’s to Bruce’s Iron and Metal in Gastonia NC and get 30 cents up to sixty cents per pound it’s different every time I go and that is about every four months.

6

Uh, Mr. Jim, is there something going on we should know about? You’re not planning on scrapping that Milwaukee Road Hiawatha everyone knows you’re hiding behind “Trains” HQ, are you?

7

There is something else you might like to know. The various junk yards will pay one price, but they will take it some where else and get more money. In my case they will take it 200 miles to the Ohio river near Marietta, Ohio, where it will be put on a barge. I don’t know what happens next, but I think it goes to Louisiana where it is put on a ship mostly headed to the Orient. Anyway, the price is somewhat seasonal. If you wait to spring, you could get about $300 per ton.

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9

$180 to $200 per “net ton” of 2,000 lbs., for Steel #1 Heavy Melt" per this recent price list from a Stroudsburg, PA “retail” scrap yard: http://www.apsrecycling.com/Current_Price_Sheet.pdf

Multiply by 1.12 (add 12 %) for the price per “gross ton” or “tonne” of 2,240 lbs., or about $200 to $225 per gross ton.

This dealer has similar price ranges: http://iscrapapp.com/iscrap/pricing/4029#

However, for larger “wholesale” quantities being exported (containers and bulk), this website says $360 to $395 per tonne: http://www.scrapregister.com/news/1552/west-coast-ferrous-scrap-exports-pick-up

Yesterday’s (Fri., 06 Sept. 2013) Wall Street Journal reported $368 in the “C” section.

  • Paul North.
10

Interesting… what is it that contains copper that we are throwing away and not recycling?

11

Just a comment on: Scrap steel prices…

The Co’s responsible for trying to refloat the cruise ship, Costa Concordia, {over 900 ft. in length}, near Italy, and now are in beyond a year’s worth of such work, allegedly will have a cost near 450 million dollars {if they are successful}.

Soon they will be trying to set it up vertically on artificial steel cribbing to offset the sloping sea floor. {Later this month}.

Then if all this is successful, after it is completely prepared with floatation “boxes”, the “ship” will be “floated” and towed to the opposite side of Italy to a special location and have it cut up for “scrap”…At another cost of allegedly near the “refloating cost”…And my point is: The people in charge {owners}, of all this process will want a very “nice” price of all the scrap metal…to “help” with all of the above costs.

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When I was vacationing in Florida, there were a rash of air conditioners stolen - for the copper.