How Scrap Value is Calculated: Weight, Rate and Grade

The basic formula

Scrap value = weight in kg × rate per kg. That is the whole calculation. A 40 kg lot of copper scrap at ₹770/kg is worth ₹30,800. The scrap value calculator on this site does this multiplication for all eight tracked metals using today's rates.

Why grade changes the rate

Not all scrap of one metal sells at the same rate. Clean copper wire (often called Millberry) fetches more than burnt or mixed copper. Stainless steel 304 pays more than 202 grade because of its nickel content. Dealers check the material first and apply the rate for the grade they see — this is why two sellers with "copper scrap" can get different prices.

Weight: gross vs net

Dealers pay on net weight after deducting non-metal parts — plastic coating on wires, oil in machinery, or moisture in stored scrap. If you strip insulation off copper wire yourself, the net metal weight you sell is lower but the per-kg rate is higher. Do the maths both ways before deciding.

How to estimate before you sell

Check the scrap rate today for your metal, weigh your lot, and multiply. Then call two or three dealers for quotes — the dealer's quote will be slightly below the market rate, and that gap is their margin. Sorted, clean scrap always closes that gap in your favour.