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A Guide for Australian Recyclers by IMMIX Metal Recycling
As we move further into 2025, the scrap metal industry in Australia is heating up – driven by global manufacturing demand, sustainable practices, and the rising cost of raw materials. Whether you're a homeowner with leftover metal or a business looking to offload industrial scrap, knowing which metals fetch the best prices can help you earn more from your recyclables.
At IMMIX Metal Recycling, we help individuals and businesses across Melbourne turn scrap into serious value. Here's our expert take on the most valuable metals in 2025, and what that means for Aussie recyclers.
1. Copper – The Undisputed Champion
2025 Price Range: $9.80 – $11.00 per kg (Clean copper) Why It’s Valuable: Copper is essential in electronics, renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, and infrastructure. With the global shift toward electrification, demand is booming – and prices are following suit.
What to Look For:
Copper wiring (clean or insulated)
Plumbing pipes
Electrical components
AC units and motors
IMMIX Tip: Strip the insulation from wires (if safe to do so) to increase value.
2. Aluminium – Lightweight & In Demand
2025 Price Range: $1.30 – $2.00 per kg (Clean aluminium) Why It’s Valuable: Used in everything from beverage cans to aircraft, aluminium is endlessly recyclable and in high demand in Australia. It's especially sought after in the construction and packaging industries.
What to Look For:
Window frames
Car parts
Cans and cookware
Bike frames
IMMIX Tip: Keep aluminium separate from steel – it’s much lighter and fetches a better price when clean.
3. Brass – The Golden Alloy
2025 Price Range: $6.00 – $7.50 per kg Why It’s Valuable: A mix of copper and zinc, brass is commonly found in plumbing and decorative items. Its higher copper content makes it pricier than aluminium and steel.
What to Look For:
Taps and faucets
Door handles
Musical instruments
Plumbing fittings
IMMIX Tip: Sort brass separately – it often gets mixed in with general metal scrap, lowering your return.
4. Stainless Steel – Durable & Worth It
2025 Price Range: $1.50 – $2.50 per kg (varies by grade) Why It’s Valuable: Stainless steel contains nickel and chromium, both of which are in high demand. It’s used in kitchens, appliances, and industrial equipment.
What to Look For:
Kitchen sinks and cutlery
Exhaust systems
Medical equipment
IMMIX Tip: Use a magnet to check – stainless steel is often non-magnetic. Separate it from mild steel for better rates.
5. Lead – Niche but Lucrative
2025 Price Range: $2.20 – $3.00 per kg Why It’s Valuable: Heavy and dense, lead is primarily found in car batteries and roofing materials. Despite being toxic, it’s still widely recycled due to its use in energy storage.
What to Look For:
Car batteries (We offer safe disposal services)
Roofing sheets
Weights and sinkers
IMMIX Tip: Never handle lead without protection. We offer free pickup and safe disposal in Melbourne.
Honorable Mention: Scrap Steel
While not as high in price, scrap steel remains the most commonly recycled metal in Australia.
2025 Price Range: $0.20 – $0.35 per kg Perfect for: Construction debris, whitegoods, beams, and offcuts.
Why Scrap Metal Prices Are Rising in 2025
The upward trend is influenced by:
Increased demand for sustainable materials
The rise of EVs and green tech
Supply chain pressures and rising mining costs
Export opportunities in Asia-Pacific markets
Recycle With Confidence at IMMIX
At IMMIX Metal Recycling, we offer:
Top prices in Melbourne
Instant payouts
Free pickup services
On-site weighbridge for accurate pricing
Eco-friendly processing and certified recycling
Whether you're clearing out your shed, managing a demolition project, or running a manufacturing operation – we make scrap recycling simple and profitable.
Ready to Cash in on Your Scrap?
Contact IMMIX Metal Recycling today for a free quote or pickup schedule. Call us or visit www.immix.com.au to get started.
Metal is everywhere, from the cars we drive to the cans we reuse, but have you ever thought about what happens to it after we've used it? Metal recycling is the technique of transforming old, discarded metals into useful new materials while reducing trash and protecting natural resources. Recycling metal is more than just an option in an ecologically conscious world; it is necessary as well. Recycling preserves energy, reduces carbon emissions, and keeps landfills from overflowing with valuable materials. In this post, we will look at what metal recycling is, how it works, and why it is essential to a sustainable future.
How Metal Recycling Works
Metal recycling follows a structured process that includes:
1. Collection – Scrap metal is collected from residential properties, industrial, and construction sites. Abandoned car parts, outdated appliances, and metal cans are all common sources.
2. Sorting – Metals are categorized as ferrous (iron-based, like steel) or nonferrous (aluminum, copper, and brass). Magnetic objects and other separation methods are used to achieve this.
3. Processing – The separated metals are shredded into smaller pieces to make melting easier and more energy-efficient.
4. Melting – The metals are melted in particular furnaces designed to melt various metal kinds.
5. Purification – To ensure high-quality recycled material, chemicals are eliminated from the molten metal.
6. Solidification – After purification, the metal is cooled and formed into new forms, such as sheets, bars, or pellets, for reuse in manufacturing.
Why Metal Recycling Is Important
1. Conservation of Natural Resources
Mining for new metal ores reduces the planet's natural resources. Recycling removes the need for excessive mining, which protects resources such as iron ore, bauxite (used to make aluminum), and copper.
2. Energy Savings
Recycling metal uses hardly energy than producing new metal from raw ore. For example, recycling metal saves up to 95% of the energy needed for primary manufacturing. This results in lesser emissions of carbon and a smaller ecological footprint.
3. Reduction in Landfill Waste
Scrap metal that is not recycled frequently ends up in landfills, wasting valuable floor space and contributing to environmental problems. Recycling keeps these goods in use while decreasing landfill overflow.
4. Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Metal mining and refining create huge quantities of greenhouse gases that cause global warming. Recycling reduces carbon emissions, which helps in the struggle against global warming.
5. Economic Benefits
The metal recycling company generates jobs in gathering, processing, and production. It also decreases the cost of production for companies that use recycled materials, resulting in more affordable products for customers.
6. Sustainable Manufacturing
Recycled metal is utilized for producing a number of items, including construction materials and electronic devices. This supports a circular economy, in which materials are constantly reused rather than wasted.
Commonly Recycled Metals
Aluminum – Found in beverage cans, kitchen foil, and car parts.
Steel – Used in appliances, construction beams, and vehicles.
Copper – Found in electrical wiring, plumbing pipes, and motors.
Brass & Bronze – Used in plumbing fixtures, musical instruments, and decorative pieces.
How You Can Help
Separate metal waste – Maintaining metal things separate from other trash makes recycling easier.
Use recycling centers – Find nearby resources that accept scrap metal.
Support recycled products – Buy items made from recycled metals to encourage sustainability.
Final Thoughts
Metal recycling serves as essential for protecting the environment, increasing energy efficiency, and supporting economic growth. By making deliberate efforts to recycle metal waste, we can help clean up our planet and create a better future. Every small action is important so start recycling now! At IMMIX, we are devoted to offering sustainable metal recycling solutions that benefit both companies and the environment. Join us in making a difference—every metal scrap recycled is a step nearer to a cleaner, more sustainable society as a whole