List of Ferrous and Nonferrous Metals That Can Be Recycled

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. How can you tell the difference between a ferrous and nonferrous metal? If a magnet sticks to the metal, it 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. Precious metals can also be ferrous or nonferrous. They are rare, naturally-occurring elemental metals that have a high economic value.

Continue below to review a list of the most common ferrous and nonferrous metals that can be recycled, as well as where to recycle your scrap metal in Indianapolis!

Indianapolis IN Scrap Metal Recycling 1-888-586-5322
Indianapolis IN Scrap Metal Recycling 1-888-586-5322

Ferrous Metals that Can Be Recycled

▷ Stainless Steel
▷ Iron
▷ Carbon Steel
▷ Mild Steel
▷ Cast/Wrought Iron
▷ Iron

Non-Ferrous Metals that Can Be Recycled

► Copper
► Aluminum
► Brass
► Lead
► Tin
► Titanium
► Zinc
► Nickel

Non-Ferrous Precious Metals that Can Be Recycled

▷ Gold
▷ Silver
▷ Platinum

Exotic Non-Ferrous Precious Metals that Can Be Recycled

► Cobalt
► Bismuth
► Beryllium
► Zirconium
► Cadmium
► Mercury
► Tungsten

Are you ready to recycle metal and make some fast cash at the same time? Contact Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 to learn why our scrap metal recycling center in Indianapolis is the leading choice among environmental supporters here in Indiana!

You Should Also Read:

Popular Grades of Aluminum Metal and Their Current Market Values
Where Can I Collect Scrap Metal?
4 Benefits of Recycling Scrap Metal

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

Why You Should Recycle Steel Automotive Parts

Recycling junk cars has a huge impact on our environment, economy, and more; an impact that is entirely positive. There are many benefits of junk car recycling, most of which involve steel. Continue reading to learn why it is important to recycle the steel in junk cars, and how you can personally contribute to this wonderful initiative.

Indianapolis Scrap Steel Recycling 1-888-586-5322
Indianapolis Scrap Steel Recycling 1-888-586-5322

Most Vehicles Contain More Steel Than Any Other Metal

Most vehicles are manufactured with steel because it is a highly durable, strong, and dependable metal. Not only can it protect drivers and passengers, but it can also be recycled and repurposed over and over again. In fact, most steel is made from existing steel materials, which does wonders to preserve our natural resources, conserve energy, and reduce harmful emissions produced by metal refining factories. According to the Steel Recycling Institute (SRI), “recycling a single ton conserves 2500 pounds of iron ore, 1400 pounds of coal, and 120 pounds of limestone.”

Vehicles, on average, are 60% steel and iron. The shell alone is 25% of the total amount of steel in a car or truck, on average. This includes the quarter panels, trunk, hood, and doors. Additionally, internal parts and metal components are recycled for their steel, such as automotive parts, gaskets, circuit boards, and more.

Tons of Automotive Steel are Recycled Every Year

Motorized vehicles are among the most frequently recycled consumer product in the country. Regardless of who owned them or what happened to them, virtually all cars end up in the recycling process. According to the Steel Recycling Institute (SRI), more than 14 million tons of steel from cars are recycled each year. This can actually be argued as a 100% recycling rate among vehicles no longer suited for the road!

The Auto Salvaging Process

The junk car recycling process, although not too complicated, requires a fleet of highly-specialized equipment and technology. Most metal reprocessing centers will start by draining the vehicle of any remaining fluids to stay within environmentally responsible recycling practices. These fluids include transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, windshield wiper fluid, radiator fluid, battery fluid, and motor oil. Next, they will begin to dismantle the vehicle of all its reusable parts, like wheels, tires, headlights, doors, windows, fenders, bumpers, trunk lids, stereos, and any operational or repairable auto parts.

After a vehicle is finished with the draining and dismantling process, all that’s left are scattered hulks. This is usually shredded in an industrial metal shredder, which is an enormous and innovative machine that can shred large hulks down to fist-sized pieces in less than 45 seconds. These pieces are a compilation of steel, non-steel metals, and fluff (non-recyclable rubber, plastic, glass, etc.). A large magnetic sorter is used to separate the steel and iron pieces from the rest of the shredding material, which are then shipped all across the country to various metal buyers, reprocessed, and steel mills.

Call Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 to get started with your contribution to steel recycling initiative. Recycle scrap metal and junk metal commodities in Central and Southern Indiana for cash on the spot!

You Might Also Like:

The Basic Types of Steel Metal
Most Valuable Metals in Junk Cars
What is This Junk Car Worth?

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

Can I Recycle Used Rebar in Indiana?

Having leftover steel supplies is quite the advantage, in fact. If you work on a construction site, or in the construction and building industry, or even in the metal fabrication industry, you are likely to be faced with the option of taking home or retaining scrap steel, most commonly rebar. As a business owner of his construction or general contracting company, you might also find yourself with a bunch of leftover building supplies like rebar and steel tubing. If so, you might be wondering what you can do to get rid of all of this left over scrap in a safe and efficient manner. The answer is to recycle them. You can even make some money doing it!

Continue reading to learn how to recycle used rebar in Indiana, including the types of construction rebar commonly accepted at scrap metal recycling centers.

Indianapolis Industrial Scrap Metal Recycling
Indianapolis Steel Metal Recycling 1-888-586-5322

Common Types of Rebar

There are various types of rebar used in the construction and building industry, but the most common types include stainless steel, galvanized, epoxy-coated, expanded/wire mesh, and carbon steel. The good news is that all types of rebar are 100% recyclable and accepted at any local Indianapolis metal recycling center.

STAINLESS STEEL – Stainless steel rebar is a very common type of rebar used in the building and construction industry. It is a great alternative to carbon steel rebar, which is cheaper but not as visually appealing and resistant to corrosion.

CARBON STEEL – As mentioned, carbon steel rebar is cheaper than stainless steel rebar, but just as reliable. For this reason, it is the most commonly used rebar in the construction and building industry. It’s a downfall, however, is its poor resistance to corrosion and other moisture-causing damages.

GALVANIZED – Hot-dipped galvanized (HDG) rebar is coated with a layer of zinc, giving it a higher resistance to corrosion and rust (oxidation). This type of rebar is often used in the building construction industry for Marine applications, or any application involving water and moisture, such as commercial kitchens and bathrooms.

EPOXY-COATED – Just like galvanized rebar, epoxy-coated rebar retains a much higher level of resistance to corrosion and oxidation compared to other types of steel rebar. The primary difference between this type of rebar and galvanized rebar is that epoxy-coated rebar has a more delicate coating that does not hold up well during the shipping and handling process.

EXPANDED/WIRE MESH – Expanded metal and wire mesh are known as rounded rebar. They are commonly used in the paving and construction industry for concrete reinforcement grids and similar building support applications.

Where to Recycle Scrap Rebar and Scrap Steel in Indiana

Did you know that you can recycle all of your scrap construction metal at any local Indiana scrap metal recycling center and make casual doing it? There is a catch, however. You must be sure you choose a well-established and reputable scrap metal dealer to ensure you receive the maximum payout for your scrap steel and construction materials.

Which company can provide these amenities and more in Indianapolis? The answer is Garden City Iron and Metal. Contact us at 1-888-586-5322 to request a free offer for industrial and manufacturing scrap metal recycling in Indianapolis, Indiana.

You Should Also Read:

3 Types of Magnetic Stainless Steel
Comparing 409, 439, and 430 Stainless Steel Sheet Metal
The Basic Types of Steel Metal

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

The Basic Types of Steel Metal

If you were to ask the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), they would tell you that steel can be categorized into four basic groups according to their individual chemical compositions. These four groups include 1) Carbon steel, 2) Alloy steel, 3) Stainless steel, and 4) Tool steel. All steel is composed of both iron and carbon, but vary in type depending on certain physical, chemical, and environmental properties, all of which are determined by the amount of carbon and any additional alloys.

Continue reading to learn some interesting facts about each type of steel, and where you can make fast cash by recycling your scrap steel in Indiana.

Indianapolis Scrap Steel Recycling 1-888-586-5322
Indianapolis Scrap Steel Recycling 1-888-586-5322

Categories of Carbon Steel

Carbon steel can be further categorized into three groups, which are low carbon, medium carbon, and high carbon. Low carbon, also called mild steel, is one of the largest categories of carbon steel, and generally contains anywhere from 0.04% to 0.30% carbon content. Medium carbon generally contains anywhere from 0.31% to 0.60% carbon content, as well as a range of 0.60% to 1.65% of manganese content. High carbon steel is informally known as “carbon tool steel” and contains 0.61% to 1.50% carbon content. It is difficult to manipulate, and becomes very brittle when heat-treated.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel contains added alloys that make is extremely resistant to corrosion in comparison to carbon and alloy steel. This is why it is commonly used in the medical/surgical industries, appliance industry, hardware manufacturing industry, food processing/handling industry, architectural industry, and more. It contains both carbon and iron, as mentioned before, but stainless steel generally contains other alloys as well, such as Chromium (Cr), Molybdenum (Mo), or Nickel (Ni). 

Alloy Steel

Alloy steel also contains carbon, since all steel contains both carbon and iron. But alloy steel also contains a marginal number of additional elements, such as Nickle (Ni), Chromium (Cr), and Manganese (Mn). This type of steel is popular and commonly used due to their wide availability, economical costs, ease of processing, and quality mechanical properties. In comparison to carbon steel, alloy steel is more responsive to mechanical and heat treatments. Heated alloy steel comes in wither annealed or normalized.

Tool Steel

Tool steel is a general term to describe a variety of steels that retain high-hardness and abrasion-resistance properties. Specific applications for tool steel include stamping, extrusion, dies, cutting, mold-making, or impact applications such as hammering.

Where to Recycle Scrap Steel in Indianapolis, Indiana

Call Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 for superior scrap steel recycling services in Indianapolis, or 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! Request a free estimate for your scrap metal, today.

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

This Fact About Steel Will Shock You

Steel is one of the most abundant and applied metals in the world. Not only does it retain incredible properties, such as high tensile strength and resistance to corrosion, steel’s formability is infinite. But there is one very unique quality of steel metal that most of us never knew, and it has to do with recycling. You see, all steel bought and sold in the United States contains recycled steel material.  All of it. Intrigued?

Continue reading to learn even more interesting facts about steel and metal recycling, including how to make fast cash by selling scrap metal in Indiana.

Indianapolis Scrap Steel Buyers
Indianapolis Scrap Steel Buyers 1-888-586-53221-888-586-5322

Facts About Steel Recycling

When you look around, you can likely see steel everywhere, in every direction. Steel is used in various industries across the land, including building and construction, medical, food and beverage, plumbing, automotive, aviation, fire protection, and much more. Your home and office are built with steel, and the appliances and other commodities within also contain steel. The best thing about steel, or any metal for that matter, is that it is 100% recyclable, and can be recycled over and over again without losing any calculable quality. Millions of tons of steel products and materials are recycled into new steel products each year!

The Benefits of Recycling Steel

One of the most important and primary parts of steel manufacturing is steel recycling. There are several benefits of recycling scrap metal. Not only does recycling metal help preserve our planet’s natural resources and reduce our need to mine for new ores, it decreases harmful factory emissions generated while producing new steel, which also positively impacts our environment. Virtually all of the steel used to manufacture new products and materials contain post-consumer steel product, better known as recycled steel. In fact, most states have a mandate known as a “buy recycled” mandate, which requires consumers to purchase recycled steel products when procuring material for large-scale production.

Where to Recycle Scrap Steel for Cash in Indianapolis, Indiana

Call Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 for superior scrap metal recycling services in Indianapolis, or in Central and Southern Indiana. We pay cash on the spot for all scrap metal, including steel and iron. We also buy junk cars, car 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 and Metal 1-888-586-5322
Garden City Iron and Metal 1-888-586-5322

Is Stainless Steel Magnetic?

You might have magnets stuck to the front of your refrigerator at home, but the truth is, not all stainless steel is magnetic. You see, it depends on the type of steel and the particular alloy constituents. Continue reading to learn more about stainless steel, including its magnetic properties and limitations, as well as, what you can do with scrap stainless steel in Indiana.

Indianapolis Steel Recycling
Indianapolis Steel Recycling 1-888-586-5322

Stainless Steel Components and Properties

Stainless steel, also known as inox or inox steel, is a man-made alloy that has a minimum of 10.5% chromium content and a maximum of 1.2% carbon content. Some of the most admired qualities of stainless steel is its resistance to staining, corrosion, and oxidation (rust). For this reason, it is often used in kitchens and food processing plants, as well as industries like medical, electrical, petrochemical, manufacturing, automotive, and more.

Benefits of Stainless Steel Metal

Stainless steel comes in many grades and finishes, all of which offer their own unique appeal or performance. Compared to carbon steel, stainless steel has a much higher chromium content, so when exposed to conditions that would otherwise make it rust or corrode, it instead forms a passive coating of chromium oxide that prevents further deterioration. Not only does it not corrode and does not require a protective coating, it is also easy to clean and sterilize.

Is Stainless Steel Magnetic or Not?

As mentioned, some types of stainless steel are magnetic, and others are not. Two particular factors must be true in order for stainless steel to be magnetic. First, it must contain iron. Some stainless steels contain iron, while others do not. You see, all metal can be categorized as either ferrous or non-ferrous. Ferrous metals contain iron, while non-ferrous metals do not. You can easily tell the difference between the two by simply using a magnet. If the magnet sticks, it is ferrous and contains iron; if it does not stick, it is non-ferrous and contains no iron. Second, stainless steel must have a crystal composition arranged in a ferritic or martensitic structure.

There are 3 types of magnetic stainless steel: ferritic, martensitic, and duplex. Non-magnetic stainless steel are alloys that have austenitic structures. This means they have higher quantities of austenite in them, which is what makes them non-magnetic. For instance, stainless steel grades like 304 and 316 retain high amounts of iron in their chemical composition, but their austenite structures renders them non-magnetic, or non-ferromagnetic.

How to Sell Scrap Steel in Indianapolis for Instant Cash

Call Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 to recycle scrap metal in Indianapolis, or 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 and Metal 1-888-586-5322
Garden City Iron and Metal 1-888-586-5322

The 3 Easiest Metals to Recycle

If you are interested in joining the millions of Americans who recycle, on the best ways to start is with metal recycling. Continue reading to learn why, and which metals are the easiest for beginners!

Indianapolis Scrap Metal Buyers
Indianapolis Scrap Metal Buyers 1-888-586-5322

Scrap Metal Recycling Benefits Us All

Metal recycling is one of the most important enterprises in our world because it serves so many vital benefits. Not only does recycling metal preserve our natural resources, it also reduces the need for mining, which also reduces mining-related deaths and injuries. Furthermore, scrap metal recycling keeps our economies strong by stimulating business and providing jobs.

Value of Scrap Metal

Metal is 100% recyclable, and can be reprocessed over and over again to serve many purposes. From roofing and other building materials, to pavement, food packaging, furnishings, automobiles, airplanes, appliances, and more, the list of possibilities continues to grow each year. For this reason, it is highly sought-out by an industry known as scrap metal buyers.

That’s right; scrap metal recycling centers will pay people for their scrap metal, which gives you another reason why you should get started on your own stockpile! Scrap metal is usually evaluated by weight, which is applied to the type of metal and its particular market value. Scrappers use these three factors to generate an offer for sellers. These same factors will determine how much you earn for your own stockpile.

What to Recycle Around You

All metal is recyclable, and all commodities that contain it will be accepted by scrap metal recycling companies. The easiest metals to recycle are those that are most abundant and available to you. The top 3 include:

Steel – Junk Cars, car parts, boats, watercrafts, golf carts, scooters, motorcycles, construction equipment, farming equipment, refrigerators, ovens, dishwashers, power tools, surgical tools, air ducts, chimney caps, roof cladding, doors, utensils, etc.

Aluminum – Food cans, soda cans, pots and pans, bicycles, plumbing fixtures, patio furniture, window frames, door frames, car wheels, ladders, golf clubs, etc.

Copper – Electronics, wiring, electrical equipment, computers, circuit boards, plumbing components, fixtures, pots and pans, brass objects, bronze objects, coins, etc.

Where to Recycle Metal in Indianapolis and Central Indiana

Call Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 to get paid cash for scrap metal in Central and Southern Indiana. Our Indianapolis metal recycling professionals 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. Request a free estimate for your scrap metal, today.

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