Types of Recyclable Precious Metal and Where to Find Them

Metal recycling is one of the most important environmental initiatives you can contribute to without having to put in very much effort. Not only is metal recycling easy and good for the planet, it can make you some fast cash too since many metal recycling centers will pay cash on the spot for junk and scrap metal, including ferrous metal, non-ferrous metal, and even precious metals. It may seem like a waste to recycle precious metal because most people assume jewelry is the only version; however, there are many household and everyday items that contain recyclable and profitable precious metals.

Continue reading to learn the types of precious metal you can recycle, and which common items contain them!

Precious Metal Recycling 1-888-586-5322

Precious Metal Recycling 1-888-586-5322


Metals that are “precious” are rare. They are naturally-occurring elements that retain high economic value. In fact, they have been used as currency throughout our history, and even to this very day. However, today’s society uses precious metals more as an investment rather than common currency.

There are numerous types of precious metal found on Earth. The most common include gold, silver, platinum, and zirconium. Additional types of precious metal include:

Cobalt
Beryllium
Bismuth
Germanium
Iridium
Mercury
Palladium
Osmium
Rhodium
Ruthenium
Tungsten

Where to Look For Precious Metal

Precious metal is originally mined from the earth’s crust, but in terms of your home, you can find precious metals in many places. Fine jewelry is an obvious choice, which may include gold, silver, platinum, zirconium, and titanium. However, many people are not interested in recycling fine jewelry; these are more likely to be passed onto loved ones or sold at a competitive price.

On the other hand, less obvious items may contain precious metal worth recycling. These include:

Catalytic Converters – These essential car parts contain platinum, which is a highly-valuable metal.

Automotive Circuit Boards – These modern car parts contain gold. You can find circuit boards in CD changers, electronic displays, and navigation systems.

Computers and Electronics – These items have circuit boards, which contain gold. You can find circuit boards in all sorts of electronics, including cell phones, laptops, stereo systems, cameras, and more.

Old Appliances – Old or broken appliances may contain valuable metals like silver, gold, and palladium.

Fine Cutlery – Fine silverware can be made from pure silver or other type of precious metal.

Where to Recycle Precious Metal in Indianapolis

Garden City Iron and Metal 1-888-586-5322

Garden City Iron and Metal 1-888-586-5322

Call Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 to recycle precious metal and scrap metal commodities in Central and Southern Indiana. We pay cash on the spot for both ferrous and non-ferrous metals, including junk cars, automotive parts, appliances, construction equipment, motorized farming equipment, and more. Call 1-888-586-5322 to request a free estimate for your scrap metal, today.

Where Can I Collect Scrap Metal?

If you are looking for a new hobby, scrap metal recycling could be a great fit. Not only is it a magnificent initiative that supports environmental preservation, it is a pursuit that can make you a great deal of money. Best of all, it is an activity that anyone, at any age, can do! Make it a family pastime, a student project, a side job for extra cash, or an eco-friendly volunteer program for your local community!

Whatever your reason for recycling scrap metal, the first place to start is learning where to get it and who to sell it to for the most cash. Continue reading to learn some of the best spots to find scrap metal materials.

Scrap Metal Recycling 1-888-586-5322

Scrap Metal Recycling 1-888-586-5322

Around the House

The first place to look for scrap metal to sell is around your house. There are several household items that contain a gainful amount of recyclable metal in them, including appliances, electronics, motorized equipment, machines, car parts, old cars and trucks, scooters, motorcycles, trailers, tractors, bicycles, hoverboards, power tools, plumbing pipes, fixtures, window frames, and more. Whether broken or operational, they are accepted by scrap metal buyers.

Post-Construction Sites

When construction takes place, whether commercial or residential, there is always a post-construction mess to clean up. General contractors will gladly give you permission to salvage whatever debris and leftover materials you can find. This saves them time cleaning up and discarding it themselves. Just be sure to always ask permission before trespassing onto the premises. Look for leftover sheet metal, beams, piping, bearings, and anything else made of metal.

Hospitals and Clinics

After asking permission, many medical centers will hand over old junk that is being sent to the garbage. Recyclable metal items include wheelchairs, hospital beds, bed pans, walkers, appliances, machines, leftover construction equipment, and more. You can check with hospitals, retirement homes, clinics, rehabilitation centers, and other medical facilities. Simply schedule a meeting with an office administrator so that you can ask permission and explain that you will remove these items for free.

Local Repair Shops

Any business that provides repairs will likely have old junk laying around. And in many cases, they will be more than happy to let you take them off their hands. Repair shops for appliances, cars, electronics, and furniture are great places to check with. Retail stores may also have old steel shelving, shopping carts, metal displays, and other large metal items they no longer need. When you offer to take this stuff away free of charge, it is appealing to business owners. So there is really no harm in asking!

Additional Sources to Consider:

Shooting Ranges » If there are public or private shooting ranges in your area, check with the manager about collecting the discharged brass shells.

Craigslist » You can post an advertisement on Craigslist, or a similar free public website, stating that you will collect junk or scrap metal from anyone who wishes to give it away for free.

Social Media » You can post an announcement on Facebook and/or other social media platforms asking family and friends to donate their old metal junk to you.

Dumpsters » There is no shame in dumpster diving when it is for the good of the environment and your wallet! Always check with business owners and property managers before getting started.

Farms » You can contact local farms and ranches to see if they have any old equipment to give away. They may have old or obsolete tractors, bulldozers, fork lifts, farming equipment, and more.

Where to Recycle Your Scrap Metal for INSTANT Cash

Garden City Iron and Metal 1-888-586-5322

Garden City Iron and Metal 1-888-586-5322

Call Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 to recycle scrap metal in Central and Southern Indiana. We pay cash on the spot for all metal and metal commodities, including vehicles, car parts, appliances, construction equipment, farming equipment, and much more! Collect all the scrap metal you can, and then sell it to us for the highest profit in town! Request a free estimate or information, today.

4 Benefits of Recycling Scrap Metal

Scrap Metal Recycling 1-888-586-5322

Scrap Metal Recycling 1-888-586-5322

Millions of tons of scrap metal are used and discarded each year. From bottles and cans, to vehicles, electronics, and more, metal is a highly useful commodity that is 100% recyclable. According to the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (http://www.isri.org), 150 million tons of scrap metal was recycled in 2008. This rate of metal recycling has remained strong over the years, and we are still recycling millions of tons of scrap metal today!

Continue reading to learn why metal recycling is so valuable to our environment, economy, and more!

❶ Environmental Protection

Recycling scrap metal is good for the environment for many reasons. For example, the mining of new metal ore creates larger amounts of harmful greenhouse gas emissions in comparison to making new products with recycled metal. These emissions cause air pollution to rise in metropolitan areas, and can even influence climate changes overtime. According to the National Institutes of Health, making new products using recycled metal produces 97% less mining waste and uses 40% less water!

❷ Energy Conservation

Scrap metal recycling conserves energy since there is no need to drill, refine, process, and manufacture new ore. Here’s a fun fact: According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), recycling just one single aluminum soda can saves enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for more than four hours!

❸ Natural Resource Preservation

One of our most precious natural resources on Earth is our natural ore deposits. Unfortunately, there is only a limited amount. By recycling scrap metal, we can reduce the need to mine for new, virgin ore, thus preserving our planet’s natural resources.

❹ Economic Support

The scrap metal recycling industry is not only philanthropic in terms of the environment, it also aids the local economy by providing jobs, promoting cash flow, and allowing for economic gain. According to the National Recycling Coalition, the recycling industry generates virtually $236 billion each year, and employs more than one million workers across America.

Recycle Scrap Metal in Indianapolis

Garden City Iron and Metal 1-888-586-5322

Garden City Iron and Metal 1-888-586-5322

Call Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 to recycle scrap metal and junk metal commodities in Central and Southern Indiana. We pay cash on the spot for both ferrous and non-ferrous metals, including junk cars, automotive parts, appliances, construction equipment, motorized farming equipment, and more. Call 1-888-586-5322 to request a free estimate for your scrap metal, today.

The Discerning Attributes of Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metal

Scrap Metal Recycling 1-888-586-5322

Scrap Metal Recycling 1-888-586-5322

There are various types of metal found all around the world, but all metals can be placed into one of two categories: ferrous or non-ferrous. The most distinguishing difference between ferrous and non-ferrous metal is iron. Iron is among the most common chemical elements on the planet, and found primarily in the Earth’s crust. When metal contains iron, regardless of how little the content, it is considered a ferrous metal. In contrast, non-ferrous metals do not contain any iron content. An easy way to remember this rule is to remember that non-ferrous means non-iron.

So how do you tell the difference between a ferrous and non-ferrous metal?

The answer is a magnet! If the magnet sticks to the metal, the metal contains iron, which would make it ferrous. You see, iron is a magnetic metal, so if a magnetic sticks, it must contain a sufficient amount of iron content. In some cases, the concentration of iron is too weak to attract a magnet, so additional equipment would be necessary in determining its true composition. Look below to learn some examples of ferrous and non-ferrous metals and their common applications.

Ferrous Metals

Wrought Iron: Composition is virtually 100% iron content. Common applications include fencing and ornamental gates.

Cast Iron: This strong but brittle metal contains mostly iron, but also contains anywhere from 2 to 6% carbon. It is commonly used to make engine blocks and sewer covers.

Mild Steel: Mild steel has a mostly iron composition, but also contains between 0.1 to 0.3% of carbon. Its primary application is engineering, but also non-specialized metal products manufacturing.

Carbon Steel: Iron metal containing 0.6 to 1.4% carbon content. It is commonly used to make metal cutting tools and tool parts, like drill bits and bushings.

Stainless Steel: A popular finish for home appliances, stainless steel contains iron, nickel, and chromium. Because it is stain and corrosion-resistant, it is commonly used to make surgical instruments and cutlery.

Non-Ferrous Metals

Copper: A naturally-occurring element, copper contains no iron content. Because of its electricity and heat-transfer attributes, it is commonly used to make electrical wiring, tubing, and plumbing pipes.

Aluminum: Aluminum contains manganese, copper, and aluminum content. It is highly malleable and lightweight, so it is commonly used in the aircraft manufacturing industry, but also for kitchenware, window frames, and more.

Lead: Also a naturally-occurring element, lead is a soft, but heavy, metal. It is primarily used to make batteries, roofing materials, and pipework.

Brass: Brass is made up of mostly copper, but contains up t0 35% zinc as well. It is commonly used to make ornamental commodities and electrical fittings.

Recycle Your Scrap Metal for Cash

Garden City Iron and Metal 812-343-5073

Garden City Iron and Metal 812-343-5073

Call Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 to recycle scrap metal and junk metal commodities in Central and Southern Indiana. We pay cash on the spot for both ferrous and non-ferrous metals, as well as, junk cars, automotive parts, appliances, construction equipment, motorized farming equipment, and much more! Get rid of your junk and make some fast cash at the same time.

Garden City Iron & Metal Welcomes You to Our Brand New Website!

Your One-Stop-Shop for Scrap Metal Recycling and Cash for Junk Cars

Garden City Iron and Metal 812-343-5073

Garden City Iron and Metal 812-343-5073

Garden City Iron & Metal is an independently owned and operated, state-certified metal recycling company based out of Columbus, Indiana. We proudly serve all of Central and Southern Indiana with superior scrap metal recycling and junk car buying services, and we pay top-dollar for your metal materials. We retain the latest technologies, including 3 state-of-the-art electronic platform scales, which allows us to provide the highest imbursements for scrap metal in Indianapolis!

So what are you waiting for? Sell us your junk cars and trucks, used auto parts, and all other types of scrap metal, and walk away with real cash in your wallet! There is no faster way to get rid of junk and make a profit, all at the same time!

Count On Unparalleled Customer Service

We are dedicated to providing unparalleled customer service because our clients are the most important part of our business. For this reason, we do everything in our power to ensure our clients receive the best service and highest payouts for their scrap metal. And we started with a brand new, easy-to-use metal recycling website!

On our new website, you can learn all there is to know about recycling scrap metal with us. Every link you need is listed right at the top of every web page!  Read through our FAQS page for answers to the most common questions about metal recycling; or visit our METALS WE BUY page for instant information about the material we accept!

Instantly locate our contact information on our CONTACT US page, or learn about metal metal prices on our PRICES page. Hover the mouse over our SERVICES page to reveal a drop-down list of all the metal recycling services our company provides, and then choose from one of the listed options, including METAL RECYCLING, JUNK CAR BUYER, and USED AUTO PARTS.

Call Us Today for a Free Estimate!

Garden City Iron and Metal 812-343-5073

Garden City Iron and Metal 812-343-5073

Garden City Iron & Metal’s new website is not just informative, it is easy to navigate and find just what you’re looking for. With the exclusive metal recycling pages available on our new website, we make the scrap metal recycling process that much easier for you. But the convenience doesn’t stop there! We also offer pickup and haul away service for free, which means you only have to give us a call and we do the rest! Just dial 812-343-5073 to speak with a friendly scrap metal manager,
and request a free phone quote for your metal.