North American Copper and Brass Scrap Prices Dip Slightly on the Index- September 23, 2026
Daily Scrap Metal Price Report | 2026-09-24 12:37:48
North American scrap buying benchmarks were mostly steady on September 23, but major clean copper grades fell 11¢/lb after jumping 14¢ a day earlier. Brass declined 3¢/lb, while aluminum, steel and stainless steel held unchanged.
By MONTREAL (Scrap Monster): North American scrap metal buying benchmarks were mostly unchanged on the ScrapMonster Price Index on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, but copper and brass/bronze moved lower following the previous session's broad nonferrous gains.
| Metal | September 23 Move | Market Read |
|---|---|---|
| Copper | ▼ Up to 11¢/lb | Major clean grades reversed most of Tuesday's 14¢ gain |
| Aluminum | → Flat | All tracked grades unchanged |
| Steel | → Flat | No movement across benchmark grades |
| Stainless Steel | → Flat | All reported grades unchanged |
| Brass/Bronze | ▼ Up to 3¢/lb | Most major grades moved lower |
SCRAPMONSTER EDGE
Copper gave back about 79% of Tuesday's surge. Major clean grades fell 11¢/lb on September 23 after gaining 14¢/lb one session earlier. Even after the pullback, those grades remained approximately 3¢/lb higher across the two sessions.
Copper Scrap Prices
Copper recorded the largest price movement of the September 23 session, with declines concentrated in major clean grades and several insulated-wire and radiator categories.
#1 Copper Wire and Tubing, #2 Copper Wire and Tubing, #1 Copper Bare Bright and #3 Copper-Light Copper each ▼ fell 11¢/lb.
#1 Insulated Copper Wire with 85% Recovery and #2 Insulated Copper Wire with 50% Recovery each ▼ declined 3¢/lb.
Copper Radiator Scrap ▼ fell 4¢/lb.
Cu Yokes ▼ slipped 1¢/lb, while Heater Cores ▼ declined 2¢/lb.
Harness Wire with 35% Recovery and Romex Wire each ▼ fell 3¢/lb.
Alternator Scrap, Copper Transformer Scrap, Cu/Al Radiator Ends, Cu/Al Radiators, Cu/Al Radiators/Fe, Scrap Electric Motors, Sealed Units, Starters and Xmas Lights were → unchanged.
Copper Benchmark Check
Broader copper benchmarks also moved lower on September 23.
COMEX December copper closed at approximately $6.78/lb, down about 0.8% from the prior session. LME cash copper settled at approximately $14,735 per metric ton, down $62/MT, or about 0.4%, from September 22.
Scrap/futures read: The direction was aligned. North American copper scrap buying benchmarks fell alongside both COMEX and LME copper, although scrap prices do not move one-for-one with exchange-traded benchmarks.
Aluminum Scrap Prices
Aluminum scrap prices recorded no movement across the tracked categories.
1100 Scrap, 3003 Scrap, 356 Aluminum Wheels, 5052 Scrap, 6061 Extrusions, 6063 Extrusions and 6063 Extrusions/Fe were all → unchanged.
Al/Cu Radiators, Al/Cu Radiators/Fe, Aluminum Radiators, Aluminum Radiators/Fe, Aluminum Transformers and Breakage 50% Recovery also remained flat.
E.C. Aluminum Wire, Chrome Wheels, Litho Sheets, MLC Clips, Mixed Aluminum Turnings, Old Cast, UBC, Old Sheet, Painted Siding and Zorba 90% NF recorded → no variation.
Steel Scrap Prices
Steel scrap prices remained unchanged across all major tracked grades.
#1 Bundle, #1 Busheling, #1 HMS, HMS 80/20, Sheet Metal, Shredded Auto Scrap and Structural Steel were all → flat.
Stainless Steel Scrap Prices
Stainless steel prices also held steady throughout the session.
201 SS, 301 SS, 304 SS Solid, 304 SS Turning, 309 SS, 310 SS, 330 SS and 316 SS Solid were all → unchanged.
Brass/Bronze Scrap Prices
Brass and bronze scrap prices moved modestly lower following the previous session's gains.
70/30 Brass Scrap, 80/20 Brass Scrap, 85/15 Brass Scrap and Brass Radiator Scrap each ▼ fell 3¢/lb.
Brass Radiator/Fe and Brass Radiator Ends were → unchanged.
Red Brass, Red Borings and Yellow Brass each ▼ declined 3¢/lb.
Market Read
The September 23 session was primarily a copper and brass pullback rather than a broad market decline. Aluminum, steel and stainless steel were completely unchanged across the tracked grades.
Copper deserves the closest attention because the 11¢/lb decline followed a 14¢/lb surge one session earlier. That means the market surrendered most, but not all, of Tuesday's increase.
The move was also directionally consistent with the broader copper market, as both COMEX and LME copper benchmarks declined on September 23.
Benchmark buying-price move • Local quotes vary by grade and location.
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POLL
Which North American scrap category recorded the broadest price declines on September 23, 2026?
Frequently Asked Questions
- How did North American copper scrap prices perform on September 23, 2026?
Copper scrap prices declined across several major grades. #1 Copper Wire and Tubing, #2 Copper Wire and Tubing, #1 Copper Bare Bright and #3 Copper-Light Copper each fell by $0.11/lb, while other grades recorded smaller declines or remained unchanged.
- Did aluminum scrap prices change on the ScrapMonster Price Index?
No. Aluminum scrap prices remained unchanged across all listed grades, including 6063 Extrusions, UBC, Old Cast, Old Sheet, Aluminum Radiators and E.C. Aluminum Wire.
- What was the trend in North American steel and stainless steel scrap prices?
Both categories remained stable. Major steel grades, including #1 HMS, #1 Busheling, #1 Bundle and Shredded Auto Scrap, recorded no price changes. Stainless steel grades from 201 SS through 316 SS Solid also remained flat.
