Daily scrap copper price snapshot
Copper (bare bright)
$5.71/ lb
+1.17%
Updated 09:39:02 UTC
Scrap copper pricing differs from the headline COMEX number by a yard-specific discount that reflects grading, processing, and margin. The "scrap copper price" you'll see at the scale is always less than spot — typically 80–95% for clean grades.
Scrap copper price ladder
For a current spot price of $X/lb, expect roughly:
- Bare bright: 0.88–0.95 × X
- #1 copper: 0.85–0.92 × X
- #2 copper: 0.72–0.85 × X
- Insulated #1: 0.55–0.72 × X
- Insulated #2: 0.30–0.50 × X
These multipliers vary by yard, region, and current market conditions. Higher-volume yards with closer mill access pay closer to the top of each range.
Local variance
Two yards 20 miles apart can post meaningfully different scrap copper prices for reasons including:
- Distance to nearest smelter — closer = lower transport cost, higher payout
- Yard inventory — full yards drop pricing until they clear
- Competition density — areas with multiple competing yards pay slightly higher
- Operating costs — labor, insurance, and regulatory burden
A 60-second phone survey of three local yards almost always uncovers a 5–10% spread.
Quality discounts in detail
Beyond the grade-level discount, yards also apply quality penalties for:
- Solder, paint, or coating residue on otherwise-clean copper
- Visible oxidation (green or black scale)
- Mixed with brass or other non-copper non-ferrous
Cleaning and sorting before sale captures most of this discount back.