If you are considering collecting scrap metal to sell, then you should be aware of the types of metal.
This is so that you can properly categorize it as well as to prevent yourself from being cheated into selling a kind of metal for another metal which is of cheaper value.
The most common metal one could find is of course aluminum.
It is used commonly to make cans and thus it widely available.
Just collecting aluminum cans in one's house is enough to earn around 15 to 45 cents per pound depending on the current market value.
Aluminum is a lightweight metal with a dull silver color.
Copper on the other is the most profitable metal as the copper scrap value is between 35 cents to $1.
50 a pound.
The easiest way to recognize copper is by its color as it is brick red.
However, once it comes into contact with moisture; it gains a greenish hue from the chemical reaction.
Although iron is the most commonly found metal, it has a very much lower value when sold as scrap compared to the copper scrap value.
Iron only sells for around 1 to 4 cents a pound but iron is also a very heavy metal.
Iron can be recognized by its chemical property as it rusts easily.
Stainless steel on the hand consists of iron but it does not rust easily.
Stainless steel can be categorized into non-magnetized and slightly magnetized and it has a dull shine towards it.
It is also a very heavy metal.
Strongly magnetized stainless steel must be sold as iron because iron is the major composition present in it.
Brass is used most commonly as a gold substitute because it has a bright shine towards it.
So it's used for decorative ornaments.
Brass is actually an alloy of copper and zinc and the value for this metal is around 25 to 90 cents per pound depending on the current market value.