why is some copper paid as #1 which is $2.00 per pound and some paid as #2 at $1.80 per pound when you recycle copper. If both are clean and no dirt, foreign material, etc.
Much of this depends upon the dealer that you take the scrap to. The usual separation is based upon the inclusion of any plated or coated pieces or any with excessive oxidation. See the site below: No. 1 scrap consists of clean, unalloyed, and uncoated copper solids,clippings, punchings, bus bars, commutator segments, clean pipe and tubing. No.2 copper scrap is the same but may include oxidized or coated/plated pieces including oxidized or coated copper wire free of excessive oxidation. A single piece of No.2 scrap in a lot of pure No.1 Copper is enough to call the entire batch No.2. Just be super carefully of your separations.
