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.
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Browse the latest market moving news on the scrap industry.
Radius settles with Calif. over scrap fires
Radius settles with Calif. over scrap fires
Pittsburgh, 18 June (Argus) — Metal recycler Radius Recycling has reached a settlement with California environmental regulators over multiple fires at the company's Oakland, California, scrap yard. Radius Recycling will pay $1.5mn in penalties and costs related to 21 violations of hazardous waste law, including from investigations of three fires at the Oakland scrap yard between 2018-2023, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) said 17 June. Radius Recycling, an Oregon-based bulk scrap exporter now owned by Toyota Tsusho, will split the payment roughly evenly to three areas: to reimburse DTSC's enforcement costs, to support special environmental projects, and to pay a civil penalty under hazardous waste law. The company will also upgrade the scrap yard with new fire prevention measures, including installing infrared cameras to detect hot spots in scrap piles. Radius said the settlement resolves all open enforcement matters with DTSC. "Radius Recycling has an unwavering commitment to operate safely, responsibly, and in full compliance with all environmental regulations," the company said. A fire at the Oakland scrap yard in 2023 sparked an uproar in the community. A local district attorney brought criminal charges in the aftermath, but those charges were later dropped . Radius' Oakland yard is a major source of ferrous scrap exports on the US west coast. It exported about 600,000 metric tonnes (t) of scrap in bulk cargoes last year, accounting for a quarter of total west coast bulk exports, according to [ Argus estimates](https://metals.argusmedia.com/dataanddownloads/downloadfile/365085) of VesselFinder tracking data. By James Marshall Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
JetZero breaks ground at first Z4 plant
JetZero breaks ground at first Z4 plant
Houston, 18 June (Argus) — California-based aerospace start-up, JetZero, this week broke ground at its recently selected $4.7bn plant location in Greensboro, North Carolina. The company aims to build its 250 passenger Z4 jets at the 8mn ft2 site. It estimates deliveries will begin in the early 2030s. The facility will be able to make up to 20/month of the Z4 planes, which JetZero said would be achieved by the late 2030s. The Z4 is desgined to deliver up to 50pc better fuel efficiency over its 5,000-nautical mile range, JetZero says. The Greensboro plant location was revealed on 12 June, the company said. Once complete, the plant will employ more than 14,500 workers. JetZero is also desiging military variants of its Z4 model, including capabilities as an aerial refueler and transport. By Emma DeArman Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
UK 'strongly minded' to nationalise British Steel
UK 'strongly minded' to nationalise British Steel
London, 18 June (Argus) — The UK government has indicated that it is inclined to nationalise British Steel as the Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill completes its passage through the House of Commons. "The Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill has completed its passage in the House of Commons and has entered the House of Lords. Based on the information currently available, the government is strongly minded to use the powers in the bill to bring British Steel into public ownership in due course, subject to the public interest being satisfied and taking into account all relevant facts at that time," said industry minister Chris McDonald in a statement published on the parliament's website on 18 June. To date, the government has already provided around £555mn ($734.55mn) in working capital, covering items such as raw materials and salaries. These funds will be reflected in the Department for Business and Trade's accounts for 2025–26 and 2026–27, McDonald added. UK legislation that could enable the nationalisation of British Steel has now moved to the House of Lords after clearing its final stage in the House of Commons in early June . While the legislation is not solely focused on British Steel, it is expected to grant the government powers to bring steel companies into public ownership. Following this development, Jingye Group, the Chinese owner of British Steel since 2020, issued a statement on 11 June. The company said that "the British government has not yet provided reasonable compensation". Jingye added that it has recently initiated consultation procedures under the bilateral investment agreement with the UK government, demanding that London "respect the objective facts and provide timely, full and effective compensation for Jingye's investment losses in British Steel". The government took control of British Steel's operations in April 2025 under emergency legislation aimed at keeping the company's Scunthorpe blast furnaces running. By Andrey Telegin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
SDI moving aluminum plant near Miss. mill
SDI moving aluminum plant near Miss. mill
Houston, 17 June (Argus) — Steel and aluminum producer Steel Dynamics (SDI) intends to relocate its planned recycled aluminum slab plant to Columbus, Mississippi, where the company has been ramping operations at its new aluminum rolling mill. The Indiana-based company's disclosure comes after SDI decided to no longer build the facility in Benson, Arizona, saying on Wednesday that "differences with Arizona state officials risked the construction and operations of the facility". SDI will incur a roughly $16mn hit to its second-quarter profit from asset write-downs related to the move. Still, the company estimated significantly higher earnings compared with the first quarter because of strength across its steel and aluminum operations. The company anticipates higher sequential earnings from its aluminum segment, citing an increase in shipments and higher realized prices as SDI progresses with commissioning operations in Columbus. SDI, which runs the rolling mill under the name Aluminum Dynamics, expects to begin qualifying the facility's third cold-rolling mill in July and noted that it has begun shipping automotive flat-rolled products for customer approvals. SDI expects meaningfully higher profitability in its steel operations on a sequential basis because of strong demand and a wider metal margin. Average realized selling values rose by more than scrap raw material costs during the quarter. The spread between #1 busheling and hot-rolled coil hit a four-year high this week at $734/st, the widest since May 2022. Persistently low steel inventories and firm underlying demand supported robust order activity and higher selling prices during the quarter. Underlying US steel demand across non-residential construction, energy, automotive and industrial sectors remained solid, SDI said. The company expects earnings from its metals recycling operations to be on par with the previous quarter after unrealized non-ferrous scrap hedging losses offset increased ferrous and non-ferrous scrap shipments. SDI expects earnings from its steel fabrication operations to be lower sequentially because higher input costs offset stronger shipments and steady selling prices. Commercial construction, data center and warehouse projects, manufacturing and healthcare demand supported steel fabrication activity. Its order backlog is about 40pc higher than a year earlier, extending into 2027, SDI said. It expects further volume gains this year and into 2027, supported by investment in US manufacturing and infrastructure sectors and ongoing onshoring activity. The company expects second quarter earnings of $3.51-3.55/share, up from $2.01/share a year earlier. SDI will report second quarter earnings on 20 July. By Alex Nicoll Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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