Not all metals in industry that we know and work with are endlessly recyclable, although most of them can be melted down and re-created as raw material from waste. Steel, iron, brass are some recyclable metals that can be recycled and reused without limit without losing any of their properties.
In this blog article, we tell you which metals can be recycled without limit.
What are recyclable metals
Steel
Steel is a very durable and resistant type of scrap metal, very present in household appliances or car parts, as well as in cutlery, tools or mechanical equipment. It is a metal that comes from one of the most abundant elements in the earth’s crust. It is considered an iron alloy if it contains less than 2.1% carbon. If this percentage is higher, it is called cast iron.
It is estimated that around 40% of the world’s steel is recycled. Its recyclability depends on its grade, which determines its magnetism and therefore the possibility of using magnets as a method of separating it from other metals.
Iron
Iron is another of the most sought-after recyclable materials in construction, tool making and steel production.
Iron is a curious metal: it rusts easily and is much harder than copper, so it is rarely used in its pure state, but the types of iron are the most important of all metals.
More than 98% of it is converted directly into steel in the furnace where it is smelted, without forming solid iron.
Brass
Brass is an alloy composed of copper and zinc. Different types of brass can be created depending on the proportion of its composition, as well as different properties. Brass is produced when copper is fused with calamine, a zinc mineral. The recycling of this material is simple as it does not need the electrorefining process like other materials. To obtain recycled brass with the same properties as the original, just melt the scrap brass provided it is clean of other waste.
Copper
As we already know, copper is a key element in the electrical world due to its conductivity and flexibility. It is also used to manufacture pipes, radiators and other heating equipment.
Copper recycling is particularly important within the European Union, which has very modest natural deposits of copper.
Recycled copper accounts for 44% of total EU demand, and 70% of copper-bearing end-of-life products are recycled.
Aluminium
Aluminium is a resource increasingly used in industry, displacing other metals such as steel, as it is more recyclable and has key physical characteristics in the energy transition, such as its low weight.
Aluminium is never pure, it is always alloyed with other metals, so aluminium recycling consists of recovering the maximum proportion of aluminium from each alloy to restore its original use.
Bronze
This alloy of copper and tin was used in ancient times as a precious metal, for jewellery and decoration. Like all other metals, it is melted down and then the pure bronze is separated so that it can be reused. Its recycling is essential as it avoids the extraction of two metals such as copper and tin.
Lead
Recycled lead is used to manufacture a wide variety of products. The most common are batteries, counterweights, electronic components or protective coatings. These products are reintroduced into the market, closing the life cycle of lead and avoiding the need to extract new resources.
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