Copper Wire Scrap

Copper Wire Scrap — Definition

Copper wire scrap is discarded or recovered electrical/industrial wire and cable containing copper that is collected for recycling and recovery. It can be supplied as bare copper wire, copper cable with insulation, or processed/chopped copper wire. Its commercial value depends mainly on copper content, cleanliness, wire condition, insulation, and contamination.

Copper wire scrap is commonly classified into No. 1 Bare Bright, No. 1 Copper Wire, No. 2 Copper Wire, copper wire nodules, and insulated copper wire.

1. No. 1 Bare Bright Copper Wire — ISRI “Barley”

This is a premium grade consisting of bare, bright, uncoated and unalloyed copper wire. It should be clean and free from insulation, tinning, solder, and other significant contamination. The current ReMA/ISRI specification identifies this grade as Barley.

Typical specification:

Material: Copper wire
Grade: No. 1 Bare Bright / Barley
Copper: High-purity unalloyed copper
Wire: Bare, uncoated and untinned
Minimum gauge: Subject to buyer/seller agreement under the current specification
Free from: Insulation, excessive foreign material, alloys and burnt/brittle wire
Form: Loose, bundled or compacted, subject to agreement
Inspection: Visual inspection and/or laboratory assay
Packaging: Bundles, bales or other agreed packaging

Important: Do not advertise a specific copper percentage such as 99.90% as the official Barley requirement unless your contract or assay specifically establishes it. The official specification describes the grade by its material characteristics rather than giving that 99.90% figure.

2. No. 1 Copper Wire — ISRI “Berry”

Berry consists of clean, untinned, uncoated and unalloyed copper wire and cable, free of brittle burnt wire. Copper tubing is excluded, and wire gauge is subject to agreement between buyer and seller.

Specification:

Grade: No. 1 Copper Wire / Berry
Copper: Unalloyed
Coating: None
Tin/solder: Not permitted
Burnt/brittle wire: Not permitted
Copper tubing: Not included
Wire gauge: As agreed between buyer and seller
Compacted/briquetted material: Subject to agreement
3. No. 2 Copper Wire — ISRI “Birch”

This is a lower-grade miscellaneous copper wire scrap. The current specification gives it a nominal 96% copper content, with a minimum of 94%, determined by electrolytic assay. It should be reasonably free of excessive oil, iron, non-metallics, ash and other unwanted material.

Specification:

Grade: No. 2 Copper Wire / Birch
Copper: Nominal 96%; minimum 94%
Material: Miscellaneous unalloyed copper wire
Excessive lead/tin/solder: Not acceptable
Brass/bronze wire: Not acceptable
Excessive oil: Not acceptable
Iron and excessive non-metallics: Not acceptable
Burnt/brittle wire: Not acceptable
Insulation: Not acceptable for this grade
Assay: Electrolytic assay
Compaction: Subject to buyer/seller agreement
4. Copper Wire Nodules

Copper wire can also be chopped or shredded into nodules. For example, No. 1 copper wire nodules (Clove) require minimum 99% copper and must be free from specified metallic impurities, insulation and foreign contamination.

5. Insulated Copper Wire Scrap

Insulated copper wire consists of copper wire covered with various types of insulation. The value is normally determined by the copper recovery percentage, so it is generally traded on a sample or recovery basis rather than simply by the gross weight of the material.

Suggested specification:

Material: Insulated copper electrical wire/cable
Copper conductor: Copper
Insulation: PVC, rubber, PE or other insulation
Copper recovery: To be established by representative sample/assay
Foreign material: Minimized
Steel/aluminum components: Declared and agreed
Pricing: Based on copper recovery and agreed commercial terms
Packaging: Bundles, bags, bales or containers
Recommended Website Specification

For your website, you could present the product like this:

Product: Copper Wire Scrap

Copper Wire Scrap is a recyclable non-ferrous metal recovered from electrical wiring, cables and industrial applications. We supply various grades, including No. 1 Bare Bright Copper Wire, No. 1 Copper Wire, No. 2 Copper Wire and Insulated Copper Wire Scrap. Material is sorted according to recognized scrap specifications, with copper content, cleanliness, wire gauge, insulation and contamination determined by grade and buyer/seller agreement.

Available grades: No. 1 Bare Bright (Barley), No. 1 Copper Wire (Berry), No. 2 Copper Wire (Birch), Copper Wire Nodules and Insulated Copper Wire.

Quality: Clean, properly sorted material with specifications and assay confirmed before shipment.

Packaging: Bundles, bales, jumbo bags or containers, according to buyer requirements.

Inspection: Representative sample, visual inspection and/or independent laboratory assay as agreed.

Documentation: Commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin and other export/shipping documents as applicable.