Scrap
Overview
Argus provides comprehensive and detailed coverage of the global ferrous and non-ferrous scrap markets, with over 1,000 prices assessed by a global network of highly skilled market experts.
Argus’ strength lies in our ability to create appropriate methodologies for the trading dynamics of a specific spot market and to provide mechanisms for valuing scrap alloys.
Participants in the scrap industry rely on our extensive price data to act as an independent contract settlement mechanism, and use our powerful tools, like the Argus Alloy Calculator, to estimate the intrinsic value of highly engineered alloys.
Ferrous coverage
Argus offers a comprehensive regional view of the most active spot markets for ferrous scrap in regions around the world. Each price is available for direct comparison in multiple markets, with currency and unit of measurement conversions available to standardise charts and facilitate detection of favourable trade conditions.
Distinguished by either fob dealer or delivered to consumer inco terms, all prices are aligned with common industry specifications for that region. Explore the full list of scrap prices and specifications, including the length of history available on the Argus Metals platform for the grades assessed.
- Bundles
- Busheling
- Foundry/specialty
- Heavy melt
- Machine shop turnings
- Plate and structural
- Shredded scrap
- Tool steel
- Stainless and super alloys
- Alloy Calculator, where the current value of any alloy can be calculated by an intrinsic value formula in the absence of sufficient liquidity to produce a proper assessment
Non-ferrous coverage
Argus provides the full range of non-ferrous coverage from scrap price assessments on UBC, zorba, taint, tweak, and twitch products, as well as exchange data (30-minute delay LME and Comex prices are standard with Argus products) and global base metal premiums. Explore the full list of scrap prices in each non-ferrous category and visit the exchange data page to understand the unique value that Argus brings through its analysis of global exchange prices.
- Aluminium prices
- Aluminium alloy prices
- Brass/bronze prices
- Copper prices
- Lead prices
- Nickel prices
- Stainless and alloys
- Zinc prices
- Alloy Calculator, including over 200 predefined common alloys
- Exchange data
Highlights of North American coverage
Argus’ coverage of the North American scrap market focuses on spot market trading patterns within the most active regional domestic trading locations, as well as on export transactions. The full value chain is represented in the suite of Argus scrap assessments, from collected at yard to delivered to consumer prices:
- 8 containerised scrap price locations
- 14 consumer buying scrap price locations, including US and Canada
- 8 export yard scrap buying price locations
- 4 dealer selling scrap price locations
- 139 regional US and Canada non-ferrous scrap yard collection prices
- Prime and obsolete grades of scrap price assessments
- Mill and foundry grades of scrap price assessments: Titanium, stainless and scrap alloy pricing
- Southern US busheling and shredded weighted average assessments
Highlights of European coverage
Argus Scrap Markets provides context and intelligence to European domestic scrap markets to help steel mills, scrap suppliers, buyers and industrial manufacturers gain a greater understanding of the markets in which they operate. Argus produces over 50 European scrap prices assessments, including:
- German domestic ferrous scrap prices
- Spanish domestic ferrous scrap prices
- Spanish imported scrap prices
- UK domestic ferrous scrap prices
- Russia, including St Petersburg, dockside price
Highlights of Asian coverage
Argus carries Asian scrap prices from a variety of mature scrap-generating markets, and provides insightful analysis of deep-sea trades and short-sea trades. Argus covers the full scope of steel mill purchasing activity for electric arc furnace-based production, including stainless and engineered steels, in recognition of the global nature of many steel feedstocks purchased by mills across the world:
- Taiwan imported ferrous scrap prices
- India imported ferrous scrap prices
- Pakistan imported ferrous scrap prices
- Bangladesh imported ferrous scrap prices
- China, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan imported aluminium scrap prices
- China, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan imported copper scrap prices
Argus carries a variety of global scrap prices in each of its three core products — Argus Scrap Markets, Argus Ferrous Markets and Argus Non-Ferrous Markets. To discover the combination of products that will provide the most complete coverage to serve your company’s needs, contact us for a consultation. Information about Argus subscription options can be found here.
Stay ahead of the scrap metal markets
To be informed of relevant content, sign up to Argus Scrap Metal Market Highlights. Each newsletter issue provides key prices, selected news, downloadable insight papers, podcasts, and on-demand videos across the global scrap markets. Our coverage spans both ferrous and non-ferrous scrap, enabling you to explore the most active spot markets for scrap around the world.
Sign up nowLatest scrap news
Browse the latest market moving news on the scrap industry.
Italian ADI awaits decision on blast furnace shutdown
Italian ADI awaits decision on blast furnace shutdown
London, 4 September (Argus) — Italian steelmaker Acciaierie d'Italia (ADI) is running low on raw materials at its Taranto site, as the company and market participants wait to see if the shutdown of the hot melting area will go ahead. The company was ordered by a court to close the hot end at the end of July due to environmental infractions. Since then, it has ceased with new raw materials purchases, a source at the company said. There are enough raw materials for operations to run until the end of September and cover existing steel orders, they added. One trader estimated that the steelmaker has about two weeks of production left before the site runs out of raw materials. "They have failed on their [raw material] contracts for months [...] anyone who has steel term contracts with ADI is going to be left disappointed", the same source said. Government meetings regarding the future of the company are scheduled for next week, and a final decision from the court is expected by 16 September. ADI's potential stop to production comes in the context of ongoing negotiations about its sale with several interested parties. The latest party to submit a bid for the former Ilva assets was a consortium of Italian companies, led by steel association Federacciai. The bid, however, included only the cold end of operations. Indian steelmaker Jindal is understood to still be in the running, as is US equity firm Flacks Group, and a few other parties. Talk in the market this week suggested that some of the bidders, likely Italian-based companies, which rely on purchasing coils on the open market, are looking for slab supply to ADI and use the company as a tolling service. ADI is in negotiations with a re-roller for a 100,000t/month slab supply in exchange for tolling services, a company source said. By Carlo Da Cas and Lora Stoyanova Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US adds 162,000 jobs in August
US adds 162,000 jobs in August
Houston, 4 September (Argus) — The US added 162,000 nonfarm jobs in August, nearly triple analysts' expectations, following two months of small job gains, in a sign the labor market may be stabilizing. Job gains were led by hiring in food services, drinking places and local government education, the Labor Department reported. Employment was revised up to 21,000 jobs added in July following upward revisions of 44,000, while gains were revised up to 31,000 for June on upward revisions of 11,000, for combined upward revisions of 55,000 over the two months, the Labor Department said. Still, job gains for the prior 12 months beginning July averaged just 31,000/month. "August's pick-up in payrolls looks like payback after two very weak months and the reversal of a seasonal adjustment distortion to education jobs," Pantheon Macroeconomics said in a note. It said seasonal factors used to adjust the raw data was "the most generous since 2015, potentially flattering the headline number." Food services and drinking places added 59,000 jobs in August, compared with average gains of 12,000 over the prior 12 months. Local government education added 42,000 jobs. Manufacturing added 16,000 jobs last month and is up by 58,000 from a recent low in December 2025. Health care added 13,000 jobs, about a third the pace of the last 12 months. Information technology shed 23,000 jobs, following average monthly losses of 8,000 over the prior 12 months. Construction added 22,000 jobs in August, following recent gains that were largely linked to data center buildouts, according to Pantheon. "AI likely is continuing to dissuade businesses in a wide range of sectors from adding to staff numbers for now," Pantheon said. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.1pc, the Labor Department reported. Average hourly earnings slowed to an annual 3.1pc in August from 3.2pc the prior month, showing wage gains are trailing inflation. The labor participation rate ticked up to 61.6pc last month from 61.2pc the prior month, which was the lowest since the Covid-19 pandemic. The measure tracks those employed and actively looking for work and has been weakened by discouraged workers leaving the labor force, retirements and a smaller immigrant workforce, partly linked to government expulsions and crackdowns. The CME's FedWatch tool showed about 57pc odds of a rate hike Friday at the Fed's next policy meeting later this month, up from about 53pc odds on Thursday, as signs the labor market is strengthening helps it focus on rising inflation pressures linked to the Mideast Gulf war. By Bob Willis Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Australia awards $19mn for green iron pilot project
Australia awards $19mn for green iron pilot project
Sydney, 2 September (Argus) — The Australian federal government will provide up to A$26mn ($18.6mn) to green metals startup Element Zero to support the development of an electricity-powered green iron processing pilot project, ministers said in a joint statement on 2 September. Element Zero's A$53.6mn pilot project aims to produce low-emissions high purity iron using different types of Australian iron ore, including hematite and magnetite, as feedstock. The federal funding comes from Australia's Future Made in Australia Innovation Fund, part of the government's efforts to develop a domestic green manufacturing sector under the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. The proposed project will be delivered in two stages. The first pilot plant will be capable of producing around 1t/d of iron, while a second phase — subject to formal review — will scale production up to 10t/d. The pilot will test a low-emissions manufacturing process known as electrochemical ironmaking, which is powered by electricity and utilises molten salts to produce high purity iron ore without using coal. The plant will operate at temperatures of 400-450°C, lower than those used in typical ironmaking processes, the ministers said. The low operating temperature will allow the project to run on intermittent renewable energy sources, including wind, solar and hydropower, according to the company's website. By Emma Partis Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
GrafTech to shutter Monterrey electrode plant
GrafTech to shutter Monterrey electrode plant
Pittsburgh, 1 September (Argus) — GrafTech will permanently close its graphite electrode production facility in Monterrey, Mexico, to align capacity with market demand amid continued global overcapacity The Brooklyn Heights, Ohio-based company will wind down operations at the Monterrey site in phases, with production to end early in the second quarter of 2027, GrafTech said. The closure aims to improve manufacturing utilization, cut costs and concentrate output at GrafTech's larger and more efficient facilities. Annual graphite electrode capacity will fall by 51,000 metric tonnes (t) to 127,000t following the shutdown. The decrease includes 35,000t from Monterrey and a 16,000t reduction at the firm's Pamplona, Spain, facility because of changes in its production mix to provide full pin stock requirements. GrafTech will transfer pin stock production — currently centered in Monterrey — to its Pamplona facility. Remaining graphite electrode output will come from its Calais, France facility. The company expects annual cost savings of $20mn-25mn, excluding one-off closure costs of $20mn-25mn for equipment relocation, facility closure and employee-related items. The graphite electrode sector has experienced persistent overcapacity from China and India, outstripping demand growth and weighing on prices and profitability for several years. Greater supply discipline is required for a healthier industry and more balanced market conditions, GrafTech said. Graphite electrodes are essential for electric arc furnace steelmakers because they conduct the electricity needed to melt scrap, other metallic feedstocks and non-ferrous metals. GrafTech will maintain its North American footprint through vertically integrated petroleum needle coke operations in Seadrift, Texas, and its electrode machining and distribution site in Saint Marys, Pennsylvania. The Saint Marys facility will continue to support GrafTech's carbon and graphite offerings for energy storage and battery markets, even though graphite electrode production there was idled in 2024 and will remain idle after the transition. By Brad MacAulay Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Spotlight content
Browse the latest thought leadership produced by our global team of experts.
The calm in the chaos: a US steel sector seasoned by disruption
Key takeaways from the recent Argus Steel Forum and discussion around the US Steel industry's ability to cope with recent market upheaval.
US scrap markets react to Middle East aluminum disruption
Ferrous Market Update: A Summer of Uncertainty
Get the latest insights on tariffs, US EAF ramp-ups, and Chinese exports, and key takeaways from the ReMA National Convention.
Explore our scrap products
Understand price movements across ferrous and non-ferrous scrap, including the regional drivers and limiters with focuses views of the US, Europe and Asia. Explore our related services below.
Key price assessments
Argus prices are recognised by the market as trusted and reliable indicators of the real market value. Explore some of our most widely used and relevant price assessments.