Steel/Iron

Prepared Steel: Steel no longer than 4 feet and no wider than 18 inches, and no thinner than 1/8 inch.
Unprepared Steel: Steel longer than 4 feet or wider than 18 inches, and no thinner than 1/8 inch.
Tin (ferrous): Steel that is thinner than 1/8 inch, bulky items should be crushed or broken down flat. Note: Steel that meets the prepared or unprepared dimensions but has non ferrous or non metals attached would be purchased as Tin.
Cast Iron

Stainless Steel

316 Stainless Steel
Dirty Stainless Steel
Stainless Steel (mixed 300 series)
Note: 400 series Stainless Steel alloy is purchased as ferrous material.

Misc. non-ferrous

Aluminum-Copper radiator (clean and dirty)
Brass-Copper radiator (clean and dirty)
Carbide
Die Cast (clean and dirty)
Heating Elements
Lead
Nickel
Tin (non-ferrous): Pure Tin alloy
Titanium
Zinc

Brass

Ammo Brass
Red Brass
Yellow Brass
Dirty Brass
Sprinklers

Aluminum

5% Aluminum: Extruded aluminum with less than 5% (total weight) of foreign materials attached (e.g. putty, plastic, screws, rubber, heavy paint).
6061 Aluminum: Structural aluminum such as pipe, angle, flat bar, etc. that is mill-marked (stamped) as 6061.
6063 Aluminum: Extruded aluminum free from all foreign materials (e.g. putty, glass, screws, rubber, plastic). Note: Anodized 6063 and painted 6063 should be separated from clean 6063.
ACSR Aluminum: “Aluminum Conductor, Steel Reinforced.” Aluminum cable with a steel core; use a magnet to distinguish from solid aluminum cable such as EC wire.
Aluminum Clips: Structural aluminum used in new production such as pipe, angle, flat bar, plate, etc. that have no defining mill marks.
Aluminum Sheet
Auto Wheels (clean and dirty)
Beverage Cans
Cast Aluminum
Dirty Aluminum
EC Wire (insulated and bare): “Electrical Conductor” wire. All-aluminum stranded cable; use a magnet to distinguish from steel-reinforced aluminum cable such as ACSR.
Irrigation Pipe

Copper

#1 Copper: Bare copper (wire, tube and solids) with no solder, paint or heavy oxidation. Must have individual strands at least ‘pencil lead thick.’
#2 Copper: Bare copper (wire, tube and solids) with solder, paint and/or heavy oxidation. Note: Any wire, regardless of its condition, with individual strands that are less than ‘pencil lead thick’ is classified as #2 copper.
#3 Copper: Thin gauge copper sheet.
Bright Wire: Bare #1 copper wire that is completely free from oxidation (i.e. bright and shiny) and has individual strands that are at least ‘pencil lead thick.’
CBM: “Copper Bearing Material.” Items that contain low amounts of contaminated or mixed copper and brass such as electronic circuit boards, VCRs and CPUs.
Low Grade Insulated Copper Wire: Insulated copper wire with 40-55% copper to insulation ratio. Common examples: phone wire, computer cables, extension cords, etc. with plugs removed. Note: Plastic and metal connectors should be removed. Insulated wire with plastic or metal connectors still attached may be purchased as Insulated Copper Wire with Plugs (minimum 30% copper recovery) or as CBM (less than 30% copper recovery).
Compressor Motors
Copper with Brass attached
Electric Motors
Insulated #1 Copper wire: Insulated copper wire in which the individual strands are at least ‘pencil lead thick’ and there is estimated to be at least a 60% copper to insulation ratio.
Insulated #2 Copper wire: Insulated copper wire in which the individual strands are less than ‘pencil lead thick’ and there is estimated to be at least a 60% copper to insulation ratio.
Romex
Starters and Alternators
Transformers

Glossary

Clean: Metal that is “pure” and completely free of any foreign metals or non-metals.
Dirty: Metal that has other foreign metals or non-metals attached.
Ferrous: Metals that have high iron content such as steel and cast iron. Ferrous metals can be verified with a magnet; iron has a strong attraction to magnets.
Non-ferrous: Metals that contain no iron. Most non-ferrous metals are not attracted to magnets