Rate Methodology

This page explains how ScrapRateToday collects and publishes daily scrap metal rates. We keep the process open so readers know exactly what our numbers mean.

How are daily scrap rates gathered?

Each working day, we survey scrap dealers and market sources in every city we cover. We ask for current buying rates for standard grades of eight metals: copper, aluminium, brass, iron, steel, stainless steel, battery, and lead. We collect multiple quotes per metal per city wherever possible.

After collection, we remove outlier quotes that sit far outside the day's range — these usually reflect special lots or data errors. The remaining quotes are combined into a single representative rate per metal per city. That rate is what appears in our tables.

When are rates updated?

Rates are updated once every working day, in the morning, and apply to that day's market. Markets are closed on Sundays and public holidays in most cities, so the last working day's rates carry over until the next update. Each rate table shows the date it was last updated.

What grades do the rates refer to?

Each metal's published rate refers to its standard grade: Clean Copper for copper scrap, Mixed for aluminium, Yellow Brass for brass, Mixed for iron, MS Scrap for steel, 304 Grade for stainless steel, and Mixed for battery and lead scrap. Special grades and premium lots trade above these rates. The metal pages describe each grade in detail.

Are these rates binding?

No. Our rates are indicative — they show what standard material is broadly trading at, not what any specific deal will close at. Your actual price depends on grade, quantity, quality, and negotiation. A large lot of clean, sorted scrap typically sells above the published rate, while small mixed lots sell below it.

What are the limits of this data?

Survey-based rates cannot capture every deal in a city. Thin markets with few dealers can show wider quote ranges. Transport cost differences between neighbourhoods are not reflected. Treat our rates as a transparent starting point for negotiation, not as a final price.