04 Aug Ferrous vs. Non-Ferrous Metals in Cicero
You’ve probably heard of magnetic and non-magnetic metals, but have you heard of ferrous and non-ferrous metals? If you’re not exactly familiar with the metal recycling or metal manufacturing industries, there’s a good chance that you haven’t.
However, if you’re going to recycle metals in Cicero, you might want to become familiar with these terms. Below, we’re going to discuss both terms in detail, focusing on the various characteristics of each. Let’s get into it!
Ferrous Metal Characteristics
The simplest explanation of ferrous metals is that they are metals which contain iron. As long as a metal contains some measure of iron, it’s considered a ferrous metal. However, it wouldn’t be possible to provide a full explanation of ferrous metals without getting further into their characteristics.
Ferrous metals are strong, tough, and durable, possessing a great deal of tensile strength. Because of this, they’re typically used in the manufacture of goods that are subject to a great deal of stress.
These goods include everything from automobiles, to shipping containers, to construction materials, to knives, and more. Some examples of ferrous metals include stainless steel, wrought iron, carbon steel, and cast iron.
The easiest way to spot a ferrous metal is to look for rust. Ferrous metals are much more prone to oxidation than non-ferrous metals. However, wrought iron and stainless steel are an exception to this.
Recycling Ferrous Metals
Ferrous metals are the most recycled material on the planet. In fact, in 2012 alone, approximately 55 million tons of ferrous metal were recycled. In short, recycling companies have no trouble getting ahold of these particular types of metals.
Because of this, metal recycling facilities typically don’t provide as substantial a compensation for ferrous metals as they do for non-ferrous metals. However, this doesn’t mean that you should neglect to recycle such metals. If you have a good deal of ferrous metal to recycle, you could still yield some very substantial monetary returns.
Non-Ferrous Metal Characteristics
Whereas ferrous metals contain iron, non-ferrous metals do not. These include metals such as aluminum, nickel, brass, copper, lead, tin, gold, silver, and more.
While not as strong as ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals are much more malleable and much less prone to corrosion and oxidation. In other words, they do not rust.
Non-ferrous metals are used in the manufacture of many items, including rain gutters, road signs, and soda cans. Because they’re non-magnetic, they are often used to make electrical wiring as well.
Recycling Non-Ferrous Metals
The only type of non-ferrous metal that is recycled in great numbers is aluminum. The other non-ferrous metals are more difficult to find, and are, therefore, not recycled quite as often.
However, this does not mean that recycling centers don’t want them. In fact, it’s quite the contrary. Non-ferrous metals, on the whole, are in great demand at recycling centers throughout the world. Because of this, they are typically worth more per pound than ferrous metals.
If you have a large collection of non-ferrous metals in your possession, you could earn a good deal of money by submitting it to a metal recycling center.
Do You Have Scrap Metals to Recycle in Cicero?
Whether you have ferrous or non-ferrous scrap metals in your possession, it can all be recycled. Are you interested in recycling scrap metals in Cicero? If so, Central Metal Recycling has you covered.
We recycle all types of metals, including stainless steel, aluminum, copper, and brass, to name just a few. Regardless of the type and amount of scrap metal you’re looking to recycle, we will gladly compensate you for your submission.
Contact us now to start the recycling process!
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