North American Copper Scrap Adds 7¢ as Brass Gains 2¢

North American scrap buying benchmarks were mostly steady on September 18, but copper extended its advance with major clean grades gaining another $0.07 per lb. Several brass and bronze grades rose $0.02 per lb, while aluminum, steel and stainless steel held unchanged.

By Carolina Curiel
Published September 21, 2026
Market data: September 18, 2026

MONTREAL (Scrap Monster): North American scrap metal prices were mostly steady on the ScrapMonster Price Index on Friday, September 18, 2026, but copper and brass/bronze continued to move higher.

Four major clean copper grades gained $0.07 per lb, extending the sharp increases recorded one day earlier. Several additional copper grades posted smaller gains ranging from $0.02 to $0.03 per lb.

Brass and bronze advanced by $0.02 per lb across several major categories. Aluminum, steel and stainless steel were unchanged.

What Changed From the Previous Session

The two-day pattern was strongest in copper and brass. Major clean copper grades gained a combined 21¢ per lb over September 17–18, while several major brass and bronze grades added a combined 5¢ per lb.

Copper Scrap Prices

Copper remained the strongest part of the September 18 tape.

• #1 Copper Wire and Tubing, #2 Copper Wire and Tubing, #1 Copper Bare Bright and #3 Copper-Light Copper: ↑ $0.07/lb each.
• #1 Insulated Copper Wire (85% Recovery) and #2 Insulated Copper Wire (50% Recovery): ↑ $0.02/lb each.
• Copper Radiator Scrap: ↑ $0.03/lb.
• Harness Wire (35% Recovery): ↑ $0.03/lb.
• Heater Cores and Romex Wire: ↑ $0.02/lb each.
• Alternator Scrap, Copper Transformer Scrap, Cu Yokes, Cu/Al Radiator Ends, Cu/Al Radiators, Cu/Al Radiators/Fe, Scrap Electric Motors, Starters, Sealed Units and Xmas Lights: unchanged.

Copper Extends the Previous Day’s Rally

The September 18 move followed a much larger $0.14-per-lb jump in the same four clean copper grades on September 17.

Across the two sessions, #1 Copper Wire and Tubing, #2 Copper Wire and Tubing, #1 Copper Bare Bright and #3 Copper-Light Copper each gained a combined ↑$0.21/lb.

The second-day increase was smaller, but the direction remained positive.

Aluminum Scrap Prices

Aluminum paused after moving broadly higher in the previous session.

All listed grades were unchanged on September 18, including 1100 Scrap, 3003 Scrap, 356 Aluminum Wheels, 6063 Extrusions/Fe, 6063 Extrusions, 5052 Scrap and 6061 Extrusions.

Al/Cu Radiators, Al/Cu Radiators/Fe, Aluminum Radiators, Aluminum Radiators/Fe, Aluminum Transformers and Breakage (50% Recovery) also held steady.

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 day-over-day movement.

Steel Scrap Prices

Steel remained unchanged across the listed benchmark grades.

• #1 Bundle: unchanged.
• #1 Busheling, #1 HMS and HMS 80/20: unchanged.
• Sheet Metal, Shredded Auto Scrap and Structural Steel: unchanged.

The absence of movement extended the recent flat daily pattern across the steel grades tracked by the Index.

Stainless Steel Scrap Prices

Stainless steel held steady after broad gains in the September 17 session.

• 201 SS and 301 SS: unchanged.
• 304 SS Solid and 304 SS Turning: unchanged.
• 309 SS and 310 SS: unchanged.
• 330 SS and 316 SS Solid: unchanged.

The flat September 18 tape followed gains of as much as $0.03 per lb one day earlier.

Brass/Bronze Scrap Prices

Brass and bronze extended their previous-session gains, although the size of the daily move moderated.

• 70/30 Brass Scrap, 80/20 Brass Scrap, 85/15 Brass Scrap and Brass Radiator: ↑ $0.02/lb each.
• Red Brass, Red Borings and Yellow Brass: ↑ $0.02/lb each.
• Brass Radiator/Fe and Brass Radiator Ends: unchanged.

Those same major grades had gained $0.03 per lb on September 17, bringing the two-day increase to ↑$0.05/lb.

Market Read

The September 18 session was quieter than the broad non-ferrous rally seen one day earlier, but copper and brass continued to move higher.

Clean copper added another $0.07 per lb after the previous day’s $0.14 jump, extending the two-session gain to $0.21 per lb. Brass and bronze showed the same pattern on a smaller scale, with the daily increase narrowing from $0.03 to $0.02 per lb.

Aluminum and stainless steel paused after advancing on September 17, while steel remained unchanged for another session.

For buyers and sellers, the main signal was therefore continuation rather than broad acceleration: copper and brass remained firm, while the other major metal groups consolidated their prior-day moves.