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North American Scrap Metal Prices: Copper Falls 8¢/Lb, Steel Rises – November 12, 2026
North American scrap prices weakened across most nonferrous categories on November 12, with four clean copper grades falling 8¢/lb and aluminum declining across 18 grades. Steel scrap bucked the trend, rising $10–$15 per metric ton, while stainless steel held steady.
Published: November 13, 2026 | Market data: November 12, 2026
Market at a Glance
Copper: ▼ 1–8¢/lb across 11 named grades, led by four clean copper grades falling 8¢/lb; eight unchanged.
Aluminum: ▼ 1–2¢/lb across 18 of 23 reported grades; five unchanged.
Brass/Bronze: ▼ 2¢/lb across seven grades; two unchanged.
Stainless Steel: → Unchanged across all eight reported grades.
Steel: ▲ $10–$15/MT across all seven reported ferrous grades, led by Shredded Auto Scrap.
MONTREAL (Scrap Monster): North American scrap metal prices declined across most nonferrous categories on Thursday, November 12, 2026, as copper, aluminum and brass/bronze weakened on the ScrapMonster Price Index.
Four clean copper grades each fell 8¢/lb, reversing the previous session's 2¢/lb gains. Aluminum also moved lower, with E.C. Aluminum Wire and 5052 Scrap declining 2¢/lb. Brass/bronze prices fell across seven grades, while stainless steel remained unchanged.
Ferrous scrap moved in the opposite direction. All seven reported steel grades increased, led by a $15-per-metric-ton gain in Shredded Auto Scrap. Six other steel grades advanced $10/MT.
ScrapMonster Edge: Copper Reverses as Steel Breaks Higher
The copper recovery proved short-lived. Four major clean grades gained 2¢/lb on November 11 before falling 8¢/lb on November 12, leaving them down a net 6¢/lb across the two sessions. Steel scrap followed a different pattern, recording increases after several unchanged trading sessions.
Operator takeaway: The divergence matters for yards handling both nonferrous and ferrous material. Copper and aluminum weakened, while steel buying benchmarks increased. The movements should be evaluated by grade and metal category rather than treated as a single market direction.
Copper Scrap Prices
▼ 1–8¢/lb | Eleven grades declined; eight unchanged
Copper recorded the day's sharpest nonferrous declines, led by an 8¢/lb drop across four principal clean grades.
▼ 8¢/lb: #1 Copper Bare Bright, #1 Copper Wire and Tubing, #2 Copper Wire and Tubing and #3 Copper-Light Copper.
▼ 3¢/lb: Copper Radiator Scrap.
▼ 2¢/lb: #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery, #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery, Harness Wire 35% Recovery and Romex Wire.
▼ 1¢/lb: Heater Cores and Cu Yokes.
Unchanged: Alternator Scrap, Cu/Al Radiator Ends, Cu/Al Radiators, Cu/Al Radiators/Fe, Scrap Electric Motors, Starters, Xmas Lights and Sealed Units.
Aluminum Scrap Prices
▼ 1–2¢/lb | Eighteen grades declined; five unchanged
Aluminum prices weakened across 18 of the 23 reported grades, reversing much of the previous session's broad recovery. E.C. Aluminum Wire and 5052 Scrap recorded the largest decreases at 2¢/lb each.
▼ 2¢/lb: E.C. Aluminum Wire and 5052 Scrap.
▼ 1¢/lb: 1100 Scrap, 3003 Scrap, 356 Aluminum Wheels, 6061 Extrusions, 6063 Extrusions, 6063 Extrusions/Fe, Breakage 50% Recovery, Chrome Wheels, Litho Sheets, Mixed Aluminum Turnings, MLC Clips, Old Sheet, Old Cast, Painted Siding, UBC and Zorba 90% NF.
Unchanged: Al/Cu Radiators, Al/Cu Radiators/Fe, Aluminum Radiators, Aluminum Radiators/Fe and Aluminum Transformers.
Brass/Bronze Scrap Prices
▼ 2¢/lb | Seven grades declined; two unchanged
Brass and bronze scrap prices weakened across seven of the nine reported grades, following an unchanged session on November 11.
▼ 2¢/lb: 70/30 Brass Scrap, 80/20 Brass Scrap, 85/15 Brass Scrap, Brass Radiator, Red Brass, Rod Borings and Yellow Brass.
Unchanged: Brass Radiator/Fe and Brass Radiator Ends.
Stainless Steel Scrap Prices
→ Unchanged | All eight reported grades
Stainless steel scrap benchmarks held steady on November 12 following declines across all reported grades in the previous session.
Unchanged: 201 SS, 301 SS, 304 SS Solid, 304 SS Turning, 309 SS, 310 SS, 316 SS Solid and 330 SS.
Steel Scrap Prices
▲ $10–$15/MT | All seven reported grades increased
Steel scrap benchmarks strengthened despite widespread declines across nonferrous categories. All seven reported ferrous grades advanced after several consecutive sessions without price changes.
▲ $15/MT: Shredded Auto Scrap.
▲ $10/MT: #1 Bundle, #1 Busheling, #1 HMS, HMS 80/20, Sheet Metal and Structural Steel.
The gains coincided with the stronger ferrous trend documented in ScrapMonster's Weekly Market Report for November 6–12. The daily movements and weekly comparisons measure different reporting periods.
Pricing scope: This report presents day-over-day movements in ScrapMonster's North American scrap buying benchmarks. Nonferrous changes are reported in cents per pound and ferrous changes in U.S. dollars per metric ton. Actual yard quotations vary by grade, recovery, quantity, location and buyer. Current proprietary Premium buying-price levels are not disclosed.
