When copper scrap is received for recycling it is visually inspected and graded, and analyzed chemically if necessary. Loose scrap is baled and stored until needed. No. 1 scrap material is directly melted and in some cases brought to higher purity while molten (fire refined). Chemical analysis checks the purity level of the copper when the charge is fully melted, and the molten copper is deoxidized and cast into an intermediate shape (billets, cakes, ingots) for further processing. Number 2 scrap is usually electrolytically refined to attain the desired purity level. But first the scrap material is perhaps fire refined somewhat, melted and cast into anodes. These anodes are the raw material used in cathode production. The anodes are then electrolytically refined, essentially an electroplating process in which the anode is electrolytically dissolved into a bath of sulfuric acid and then electroplated out of the solution onto a stainless steel sheet. Thin sheets of pure copper are pulled off the stainless sheet and placed between anode plates in other electrolytic cells where further electroplating transforms these anodes into 99.98% pure copper which builds up into cathodes as it plates out on the thin pure copper starter sheets.
Copper alloys are also recycled. Alloy scrap has to be segregated, kept clean and identified so that the alloying elements and impurity content of each batch are known. Scrap of unknown composition may be melted and analyzed to determine its composition. Alloy recycling is then accomplished by melting together batches of scrap of known composition, perhaps along with virgin material, carefully compounded so that the recycled material has the alloy composition desired.

Users of Scrap :

The only significant drawback to using recycled copper is that it may contain trace impurities that negatively impact its properties. As a result, some applications require newly mined, or primary copper or scrap copper that has been re-refined or re-smelted and re-refined. The most important of these applications is high conductivity wire.

Ingot producers and large captive foundries have traditionally been large consumers of used copper/brass automotive radiators. This material conveniently provides copper, zinc, tin and lead units in relative amounts that are ideal for production of the approximately 100,000 short tons of red-brass and semi-red brass alloy ingots. About half of this ingot material is used for plumbing valves and fittings in the U.S., a distinctly different picture than in Europe where yellow brass (copper-zinc alloys) predominates in plumbing products.

The radiator to red brass transformation has been an economically driven and environmentally sound recycling of valuable materials. No detailed statistics on the contribution that radiator scrap makes to the 250,000 tons of scrap consumed for cast products exist, but discussion with ingot manufacturers indicates that over recent years radiators have accounted for about 50% of the US production of red and semi-red brass alloys. About 50,000 tons of radiators per year are recycled by ingot producers. The plumbing alloys themselves, as both post consumer product and prompt scrap returns, have also been a significant contribution to the ingot producers' incoming material.

Copper scrap, namely the following:

Copper scrap, namely the following:
ISRI Code Barley, Berry and Birch - Copper wire scrap covered by HS Code 7404 00 12
ISRI Code  Candy - Heavy copper scrap covered by HS Code 7404 00 12
ISRI Code Cliff  - Unalloyed copper scrap covered by HS  7404 00 12 Code
ISRI Code Clove, Cobra and Cocoa  - Copper wire nodules scrap covered by by HS Code 7404 00 12

ISRI Code Dream -  Light copper scrap covered by HS  Code 7404 00 12
ISRI Code Palms  - Muntz metal tubes covered by HS Code 7404 00 12