Soft Lead
ISRI Code : NA | Last updatedAugust 10, 2026 12:39:47 PM
Soft Lead shall consist of clean soft scrap lead, free of other materials such as drosses, battery plates, lead-covered cable, hard lead, collapsible tubes, foil, type metals, aluminum, zinc, iron and brass fittings, dirty chemical lead and radioactive materials. In short, Soft Lead is lead containing virtually no impurities other than the precious metals.
Soft Lead Scrap: ISRI Grade, Pricing and Where to Sell
Soft Lead is the cleanest and highest-value grade of lead scrap traded in North America. Because it needs almost no refining before reuse, it consistently commands a premium over mixed and hard lead grades — but only if sellers sort and classify it correctly before it reaches the scale.
What Readers Should Know
- Soft Lead is virtually free of impurities other than trace precious metals — no drosses, battery plates, foil, or other metals.
- ISRI's Scrap Specifications Circular classifies Soft Lead under the code "Racks."
- Soft Lead earns the highest price among lead scrap grades because it requires minimal refining.
- Mid-August 2020 export pricing placed Soft Lead at $0.66/lb across North American regions and CNY 13,600/MT in China.
- Lead scrap prices stay relatively stable nationwide, unlike copper or brass, which vary more by region.
- Unsorted material is paid at lower mixed-scrap rates, so proper sorting directly affects payout.
What Is Soft Lead?
Soft Lead consists of clean, soft scrap lead free of other materials such as drosses, battery plates, lead-covered cable, hard lead, collapsible tubes, foil, type metals, aluminum, zinc, iron, brass fittings, dirty chemical lead, and radioactive materials. In short, Soft Lead contains virtually no impurities other than trace precious metals.
How ISRI Classifies Soft Lead
Under the Scrap Specifications Circular 2017, published by the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), Soft Lead is covered by the ISRI code "Racks."
For the complete list of scrap material specifications, view the ISRI publication.
Why Soft Lead Commands the Highest Price
The scrapping value of lead scrap depends on type and quality. Soft Lead is generally free of impurities and carries the highest price of any lead grade because it requires minimal refinement. This high-quality material is most often obtained from lead cable after its insulation jacket has been stripped off.
Mixed lead scrap, which often blends soft and hard scrap together, is usually priced lower than pure Soft Lead.
Nationally, Soft Lead and other lead scrap prices tend not to vary much by region. Prices generally stay stable across the country, unlike non-ferrous metals such as copper or brass, where location can shift pricing significantly.
Soft Lead Export Prices (Mid-August 2020)
| Region | Price |
|---|---|
| North America, US East Coast | $0.66 per Lb |
| US Midwest, US West Coast | $0.66 per Lb |
| China | CNY 13,600 per MT |
Source: ScrapMonster
Visit ScrapMonster's Lead Scrap Prices section for detailed lead scrap export pricing, or the Scrap Yard Prices section for the latest Soft Lead prices at individual scrap yards.
Where Scrap Yards Buy Soft Lead
Careful sorting and classification pay off. If lead scrap arrives unsorted, yards will pay the lower mixed-scrap rate instead of the premium Soft Lead price. Soft Lead remains one of the highest-priced categories of lead scrap available.
The following US scrap yards accept Soft Lead scrap:
- Durant Metal Shredding LLC, Durant, Oklahoma
- National Metal Recyclers, Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Robs Recycle, Ronks, Pennsylvania
- Burnett Scrap Metals, Hinesburg, Vermont
ScrapMonster's Scrap Yard Finder tool can help locate additional buyers in your region. ScrapMonster also maintains a database of scrap yards across the United States and Canada.
Selling Large Volumes of Soft Lead
Scrap yards typically analyze incoming material to confirm it conforms to Soft Lead specification. Even marginal variation can lead to rejection. Sellers with bulk quantities can connect with professional trading platforms to reach buyers who purchase Soft Lead scrap for cash.
ScrapMonster's Scrap Marketplace is an advanced B2B trading platform where materials are traded daily among members. Sellers can post the latest Sell Offers for lead scrap, and registered members can also search active buy requests for the material.
Only registered members can post new buy and sell listings. You can log in or register to get started.
People Also Ask
What materials disqualify scrap lead from being graded as Soft Lead?
Drosses, battery plates, lead-covered cable, hard lead, collapsible tubes, foil, type metals, aluminum, zinc, iron, brass fittings, dirty chemical lead, and radioactive materials all disqualify scrap from the Soft Lead grade.
What ISRI code applies to Soft Lead?
ISRI's Scrap Specifications Circular 2017 assigns Soft Lead the code "Racks."
Why is Soft Lead worth more than mixed lead scrap?
Soft Lead requires minimal refining because it is nearly free of impurities, so it commands a higher price than mixed lead scrap, which blends soft and hard lead together.
Does Soft Lead pricing vary by US region?
Not significantly. Lead scrap prices generally stay stable across the country, unlike copper or brass, where prices can vary more by location.
Where can sellers find buyers for Soft Lead scrap?
Sellers can use ScrapMonster's Scrap Yard Finder to locate nearby scrap yards, or post listings on ScrapMonster's B2B Scrap Marketplace to connect with bulk buyers.
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