If you have both ferrous and non-ferrous metals at your home and you want to recycle both of them, you may not know how this works. If so, below is information about this so you will understand how to do this.

Ferrous Metals vs. Non-Ferrous Metals

Ferrous metals are mostly magnetic and this type of metal has iron. This is why this type of metal is magnetic. The only way it isn't if this the iron is low in the metal. Ferrous metals are wrought iron, cast iron, steel, and light iron. In most cases, vehicles that are scrapped are ferrous metals.

Non-ferrous metals have no iron or very low iron. Non-ferrous metals are brass, zinc, copper, tin, and aluminum. Other metals are also non-ferrous like silver and gold.

Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Prices

When it comes to pricing, non-ferrous metals are worth much more money when compared to ferrous metals, even though you can make money from both. This is because you will find ferrous metals much easier than you can find non-ferrous metals. For example, it is very easy to find things like iron and steel when compared to silver and gold.

If you are not sure if you have ferrous or non-ferrous metals simply use a magnet to see if the metal you have is magnetized. You can then put them in different piles before you take your metals to a recycling company. Most recycling companies will require you to do this anyway.

How Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals Are Recycled

When you take your metals to a recycling company they will first make sure you have them separated correctly. Once they do this they will melt down the ferrous metals in a hot liquid. Once melted the metals are shaped into blocks. They may also have someone that wants to purchase the melted metal, and if so, they can shape it the way the person or company wants.

Non-ferrous metals are placed in a large compacter. This machine compacts the metals into small pieces. The recycling company can then send them to companies that use this type of metal.

Talk to the recycling company that you take your metals to and they can give you much more information about how they recycle the metals. They can also help you determine the type of metals you have if you need help doing this once you arrive at the company.

For more information about ferrous steel recycling, contact a company like Beartown  Recycling.