What do you currently get for a kilo of brass?

Depending on the type of brass scrap, you can get between 3 and 5 euros for it from the scrap dealer.
Since brass is an alloy composed primarily of copper and zinc, the current price of brass is determined by the copper prices and the zinc prices influenced.

In our table you will find the current brass prices in euros per kilo.

Table of current scrap prices for brass

* Prices depend on quantity and location. There is a possibility that larger quantities can potentially achieve higher prices.

What types of brass scrap are there?

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. Depending on the variety, the zinc content is between 5 and 45 percent.
In order to optimize the brass for later use, additional elements such as: aluminum or Lead added in small quantities.

The added lead makes it easier to process the brass on machines such as lathes or in machining centers.

Thanks to modern recycling processes, a large proportion of brass scrap can now be recycled. Brass scrap often comes from old vehicles, decommissioned machines or old electrical appliances. But brass has also been used in the building trade for many decades. This is why larger amounts of old brass are often created when buildings are demolished or the heating and plumbing installations are renovated.

Overview of the different types of brass scrap

Pure brass scrap from industry or craft businesses can be easily recycled.

Recycling brass components in electronic devices is much more difficult. The individual metals have to be separated from each other in complex, multi-stage processes.

For this reason, brass prices for pure brass scrap are significantly higher than for electronic components.

According to that Brass Sanitary Association The recycled content of brass in Germany is currently around 50 percent.

Brass MS58

This type of brass is often created as industrial waste during the production of brass parts such as gears, screws, ball bearing cages or threaded rods. The brass waste is usually collected directly in the company.

MS58 has a copper content between 58 and 60 percent. Up to 3.5 percent lead is added to improve machinability. Due to the lead it contains, MS58 can be processed particularly well by machines. That is why this type of brass is also called “cutting brass” in professional circles.

Brass cartridge cases

Since the brass casings of cartridges from shooting sports only consist of an alloy with at least 70 percent copper and zinc without any other added metals, they can be easily recycled.

Cartridge cases in hobby sports are made of brass, as this material can withstand the pressure caused by firing very well. Additionally, unlike the steel sleeves used in the military, brass sleeves are corrosion resistant.

Gunmetal

Gunmetal is an alloy with a relatively high copper content of 95 percent and only 5 percent zinc. Due to its high sliding properties, gunmetal is primarily used for machine components that are in constant motion.

These primarily include gears, columns or bushings. Gunmetal is also used in pumps and hydraulic systems that have to withstand high pressure.

Since gunmetal consists largely of expensive copper, you will receive a better return for gunmetal scrap compared to the normal price of brass.

It is important that the gunmetal to be sold is free of adhering foreign substances such as sealing rings.

brass shavings

This type of scrap is mainly produced in large quantities in industry during machining. But brass shavings are also created in jewelry making or art.

For sale, the brass filings must be dry and free of iron parts.

Mixed brass

If you, as a private individual, want to sell brass from your household in the form of plates, jugs, handles, water clocks or fittings, you must be guided by the prices for mixed brass.

This group includes all brass items that do not fit into one of the other categories.

Most scrap dealers will only accept collected brass if it is free of shell casings. Water meters must be completely clean and free of stainless steel hoses.

However, minor deposits such as paint residue and dirt are permitted in this category.

Scrap price for brass fittings

Brass fittings belong to the mixed brass category. The prices for brass fittings from scrap dealers are therefore between 3 and 4 euros.

How do you recognize brass?

The color of brass lies between a golden yellow tone and a strong reddish brown. The redder it is, the higher the copper content in the alloy.

In sanitary facilities, brass is often hidden under a thin layer of chrome. If a fitting is not magnetic, it could be made of brass. The thin chrome layer can be quickly removed with a file. Then the classic golden yellow brass color appears underneath.

For the untrained eye, it is often difficult to distinguish between gunmetal and copper. Because gunmetal consists of 95 percent copper and only 5 percent zinc. Therefore, gunmetal has a reddish hue.

However, if you compare gunmetal with pure copper, you will notice that gunmetal has a metallic brown color, while copper is colored light red.

Where is brass used?

Since brass is harder than copper, has good conductivity and is more resistant to corrosion due to the zinc it contains, the alloy is used in numerous industries and sectors.

Use of brass in sanitary facilities

The main consumer of brass products is the sanitary sector. Here the alloy is found in water pipes, connecting sleeves, as well as in the housing of valves and water meters.

But brass is often hidden under the thin chrome layer of fittings, taps and shower heads. With a file you can easily remove the chrome layer and reveal the brass underneath.

According to an investigation by the Federal Environment Agency Around 150,000 tons of brass are consumed here every year. This corresponds to around 38 percent of the total amount of primary brass in Germany.

However, the demand for brass products in the sanitary sector is currently falling and is increasingly shifting towards plastic and stainless steel. The reason for this is price increases for brass products due to the lowering of the limits for added lead in brass.

Traditionally, lead was added to brass production to make the material easier to process. Therefore, reducing the amount of lead leads to higher prices for brass products.

This is why many plumbing companies switch to plastic parts. But plastic does not offer an adequate replacement for brass everywhere. For parts that are constantly exposed to high water temperatures, brass is the better choice.

Use of brass in shooting sports

In Germany, cartridge cases are usually made of brass with a high copper content of over 70 percent. Since brass scrap from shooting sports consists only of copper and zinc without any other additives, it is particularly suitable for recycling.

Other areas of use for brass

In addition to the sanitary sector, brass is mainly used in electrical engineering (e.g. for antenna systems) and in mechanical engineering (e.g. for gears).

Gold brass, an alloy made of 85 percent copper and 15 percent zinc, is used to make musical instruments because of its excellent tone-producing properties.

In addition, brass also plays an important role in jewelry and watchmaking, as well as in the creation of works of art, such as brass sculptures or picture frames.

At flea markets or on vacation in southern countries you can find artfully crafted vases, plates or jugs made of brass. Larger parts made of pure brass can also be found in apartments: handles on doors, cupboards and drawers are often made of brass.