Aluminum Recycling
Aluminum is the most abundant metal and the third most abundant element in the earth’s crust. In 1825 Hans Christian Oersted, a Danish chemist, was the first to produce the metal by heating anhydrous aluminum chloride with potassium amalgam and distilling off the mercury. Later scientists were able to refine the process in which aluminum was extracted, thus increasing the availability of the metal.
Today aluminum is the most widely used non-ferrous metal. Aluminum is almost always alloyed with other elements in order to improve or change its characteristics for a particular application. Aluminum has a wide variety of uses from transportation to construction to electrical.
We recycle all types of aluminum
Brass Recycling
Brass is a term used to describe a wide variety of copper and zinc alloys. Early production of brass was limited since the higher temperature needed to melt zinc could not be reached with the conventional heating methods of the time. Later, other methods of making brass replaced this practice as research and technology helped to make advancements in manufacturing processes.
Brass, and its cousin bronze, have many uses in the modern world from decorative to functional. Brass is often used for decorative purposes because of its color which resembles gold. The metal is also used in radiator and heat exchanger construction because of its excellent thermal conductive properties.
We recycle all types of brass
Copper Recycling
Copper is created in volcanic areas that have a high concentration of hot sulfuric solutions. The earliest use of copper has been found to date back 10,000 years. It has been used throughout history in everything from tools to currency. The ancient Egyptians used copper for many applications, one them being the earliest known plumbing systems that they constructed within their structures.
Today copper has many uses which include: plumbing, construction, manufacturing and electrical. Electrical wiring is the most common use of the metal due to its superior electrical conductive properties. Copper is 100% recyclable and it’s the third most recycled metal after iron and aluminum. Researchers estimate that 80% of the copper ever mined is still in use today.
We recycle all types of copper
Stainless Steel Recycling
Stainless Steel is a metal that has a higher resistance to corrosion and oxidation than steel. To be considered stainless steel it must contain a minimum of 10.5% chromium. Other elements such as: nickel, molybdenum and niobium, are often used to change the chemistry of the steel for a particular application.
When chromium is added to steel and combined with oxygen a thin, few atoms thick, invincible layer is formed that protects the steel underneath; this process also gives unique self healing abilities to the metal. The history of stainless steel dates back to the mid 1800’s to early 1900’s. Stainless Steel is used in a wide range of applications from industrial to cutlery to decorative.
We recycle all types of stainless steel, nickel alloys, carbide and tool steel
Steel Recycling
Steel is one of the most commonly used metals in the world today. Consisting of mainly iron and approximately 0.2% to 1.5% carbon, steel’s malleable, yet strong properties have made it the ideal metal for many applications. In 1856 Sir Henry Bessemer, a British metallurgist, figured out a method of removing the excess carbon from molten iron to make steel. Too much carbon would make a metal too brittle and non malleable (cast iron). Too little carbon makes a metal just hard enough but not as strong as steel (wrought iron).
The Bessemer process did not remove the phosphorous present in the melt. Phosphorous makes steel brittle. Years later researchers figured out a way in which phosphorous could be removed from the melt. Steels uses range from automobiles to construction to appliances.