North American Copper and Aluminum Scrap Prices Edge Up on the Index- October 6, 2026

North American scrap benchmarks posted selective gains on October 6, with major clean copper grades rising 2¢/lb and numerous aluminum grades adding 1¢/lb. Steel, stainless steel and brass/bronze remained unchanged across all listed grades.

Summary

Copper prices edge higher
Copper scrap recorded modest gains across several grades, with #1 and #2 Copper Wire and Tubing, #1 Copper Bare Bright and #3 Copper–Light Copper each rising by $0.02 per lb. Most other copper categories were unchanged.
Aluminum posts broad gains
Aluminum scrap prices increased by $0.01 per lb across numerous grades, including 1100, 3003, 6063 Extrusions, 5052 and 6061. UBC, Zorba 90% NF, Old Cast and several other grades also recorded marginal increases.
Steel, stainless and brass remain flat
Steel, stainless steel and brass/bronze scrap prices showed no variation across all tracked grades. The broad stability indicates limited movement in these segments despite the gains recorded in copper and aluminum.

Copper Scrap Gains 2¢/Lb as Aluminum Edges Higher

Name: North American Copper and Aluminum Scrap Prices Edge Up on the Index- October 6, 2026
Uploaded: 2026-10-08T12:24:18+04:00
Duration: 3 min 22 s
Description: North American scrap benchmarks posted selective gains on October 6, with major clean copper grades rising 2¢/lb and numerous aluminum grades adding 1¢/lb. Steel, stainless steel and brass/bronze remained unchanged across all listed grades.

North American scrap buying benchmarks posted selective gains on October 6, led by 2¢/lb increases in major clean copper grades and broad 1¢/lb gains across aluminum. Steel, stainless steel and brass/bronze remained unchanged.

By Carolina Curiel
Published October 7, 2026
Market data: October 6, 2026

Key Points

Major clean copper grades gained 2¢/lb.
Numerous aluminum grades increased 1¢/lb.
Steel scrap was unchanged across every listed grade.
All listed stainless steel and brass/bronze benchmarks remained flat.

MONTREAL (Scrap Monster): Copper and aluminum were the only major North American scrap categories to move higher on the ScrapMonster Price Index on Tuesday, October 6, 2026.

The principal clean copper grades each gained 2¢/lb, while a broad group of aluminum grades rose 1¢/lb. Steel, stainless steel and brass/bronze recorded no day-over-day movement across the listed grades.

Copper Scrap Prices

#1 Copper Wire and Tubing, #2 Copper Wire and Tubing, #1 Copper Bare Bright and #3 Copper-Light Copper each increased by 2¢/lb.

Alternator Scrap remained unchanged. #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery and #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery also held at the previous session’s levels.

Copper Radiator Scrap, Copper Transformer Scrap, Cu Yokes, Cu/Al Radiator Ends, Cu/Al Radiators, Cu/Al Radiators/Fe, Harness Wire 35% Recovery, Romex Wire, Heater Cores, Scrap Electric Motors, Starters, Sealed Units and Xmas Lights were unchanged.

Aluminum Scrap Prices

Aluminum recorded broader, although smaller, gains.

1100 Scrap, 3003 Scrap, 356 Aluminum Wheels, 6063 Extrusions, 6063 Extrusions/Fe, 5052 Scrap and 6061 Extrusions each rose 1¢/lb.

Breakage 50% Recovery, E.C. Aluminum Wire, Chrome Wheels, Litho Sheets, MLC Clips, Mixed Aluminum Turnings, Old Cast, UBC, Old Sheet, Painted Siding and Zorba 90% NF also gained 1¢/lb.

Al/Cu Radiators, Al/Cu Radiators/Fe, Aluminum Radiators, Aluminum Radiators/Fe and Aluminum Transformers remained unchanged.

Steel Scrap Prices

Steel scrap benchmarks remained unchanged across the board.

#1 Bundle, #1 Busheling, #1 HMS and HMS 80/20 all held steady. Sheet Metal, Shredded Auto Scrap and Structural Steel also recorded no variation.

Stainless Steel Scrap Prices

The stainless steel market was completely flat across the listed benchmarks.

201 SS, 301 SS, 304 SS Solid, 304 SS Turning, 309 SS, 310 SS, 330 SS and 316 SS Solid all maintained their previous-day levels.

Brass/Bronze Scrap Prices

Brass and bronze also recorded no price movement.

70/30 Brass Scrap, 80/20 Brass Scrap, 85/15 Brass Scrap and Brass Radiator Scrap remained unchanged.

Brass Radiator/Fe, Brass Radiator Ends, Red Brass, Red Borings and Yellow Brass also held steady on the Index.

Market Read

The October 6 session was positive but narrowly concentrated. Copper supplied the larger daily move at 2¢/lb across the major clean grades, while aluminum posted smaller 1¢/lb gains across a much broader group of materials.

Steel, stainless steel and brass/bronze showed no movement, leaving the day’s price action confined to copper and aluminum.

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POLL

Which scrap category is most likely to show stronger price movement next?

Copper

Aluminum

Steel

Frequently Asked Questions

Which North American scrap categories increased on October 6, 2026?

Copper and aluminum were the only major scrap categories to record price increases on the ScrapMonster Price Index. Copper grades generally gained $0.02 per lb, while aluminum increases were mostly $0.01 per lb.

How did copper scrap prices perform?

Copper prices showed modest upward movement across selected grades. #1 Copper Wire and Tubing, #2 Copper Wire and Tubing, #1 Copper Bare Bright and #3 Copper–Light Copper each increased by $0.02 per lb.

What happened to brass and stainless steel scrap prices?

Both categories remained completely stable. All tracked stainless steel grades, including 304 SS Solid and 316 SS Solid, held steady, while brass and bronze grades such as Red Brass, Yellow Brass and Brass Radiators also recorded no changes.