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Scrap metal glossary

Plain meanings for the words you meet when you sell scrap metal in Queensland, from ferrous and HMS to tare and nominated goods. Each one links to the page that explains it.

This glossary explains the words you meet when you sell scrap metal in Queensland. Each meaning is in plain words. It links to the page that explains the term, and it shows where the meaning comes from.

Look up a metal word such as ferrous, HMS or bare bright copper. Look up a weighing word such as tare or net weight. Or look up a Queensland rule such as nominated goods.

If you are not sure what metal you have, try the scrap metal identification chart or the guide to identifying scrap metal. The rules for dealers are in the guide to selling scrap metal in Queensland.

A

Alloy
A solid made by combining two or more metals. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin. More: What we buy
ARC licence (refrigerant handling licence, Australian Refrigeration Council)
A licence from the Australian Refrigeration Council, which runs the scheme for the Australian Government. Anyone who handles refrigerant needs one, including to decommission or dispose of equipment that still holds gas. More: White goods
Asbestos
A group of natural fibre minerals used mainly in older wall and floor sheeting, roofing and pipes. If it is disturbed or broken, fibres can get into the air and harm your lungs. If you are unsure, do not cut, drill or move it. More: How to prepare scrap metal for collection

B

Bale (baling, baler)
A block of scrap squeezed down by a baler. It is cheaper to store and move. The Australian Aluminium Council says baling aluminium cuts freight, storage and handling costs. More: How scrap metal is recycled
Bare bright copper (bare bright)
Clean copper wire with no insulation, coating or tinning. ReMA's circular calls it No. 1 bare, uncoated, unalloyed copper wire. Buyer and seller agree the wire gauge. More: Copper
Brass
An alloy of copper and zinc. It does not stick to a magnet. ReMA's circular lists brass grades separately from copper wire. More: Brass

C

Cast iron
Iron with 3 to 5% carbon, poured into a mould. It is not as tough as steel. ReMA lists old stoves and engine blocks as cast iron grades, apart from steel. More: Steel and iron
Catalytic converter (cat converter)
A part in a car's exhaust that turns harmful exhaust gases into less harmful ones, using platinum, palladium and rhodium. The selling guide covers what a dealer asks when you sell one. More: Selling scrap metal in Queensland: ID and records
Contamination
Anything in a load that is not the metal you are selling, such as other metals, plastic, oil, paint or dirt. Worldsteel says copper cannot be removed in steelmaking, so steelmakers manage it by sorting and dilution. More: How to prepare scrap metal for collection

D

Docket (weight docket, weighbridge ticket)
The receipt for a weighed load. Ask for one. It should show the date, the material and the weight. Keep it to check your payment and for your own records. More: How it works
Downgrade (graded down, marked down)
When a buyer puts all or part of your load in a lower grade than described, for example because it holds mixed metals or oil. ReMA's guidelines say this happens when material does not match the description. More: Scrap metal prices

E

Eddy current separator
A machine that sorts non-ferrous scrap on a conveyor. A fast-spinning magnet makes conductive metals such as aluminium fly off the end of the belt further than plastic and paint, which just drop. More: How scrap metal is recycled
Electric arc furnace (EAF)
A furnace that melts scrap steel using electricity. Worldsteel says electric steelmaking can melt charges of up to 100% scrap, while blast furnace steelmaking typically uses 15% to 25% scrap. More: How scrap metal is recycled
Electrical work
Work such as connecting or disconnecting supply wiring, or removing, testing or repairing electrical equipment. In Queensland you need an electrical work licence for it, with a few exceptions. Leave live wiring to a licensed electrician. More: How to prepare scrap metal for collection

F

Ferrous metal (ferrous)
Metal that is mainly iron, such as steel and cast iron. Most ferrous metals stick to a magnet, so a magnet is the quickest first test when you sort scrap. More: How to identify scrap metal and tell copper from brass

G

Gas bottle (gas cylinder, LPG bottle)
A pressurised cylinder for LPG, butane, propane or similar gas. Brisbane City Council says even an empty bottle is a significant safety hazard and must not go in a red bin.
Grade
The class a buyer puts your metal in, based on the metal, its size and how clean it is. ReMA publishes grade descriptions as guidelines, and buyer and seller can agree other terms. More: Scrap metal prices
Gross weight (gross mass)
The weight of a vehicle with its load on it. Take away the tare (the empty weight) to get the net weight of the metal. More: How it works

H

Hazardous waste
Waste that is corrosive, flammable, explosive, toxic or poisonous, such as fuels, solvents and pool chemicals. Brisbane City Council says it can cause fires in bins and collection trucks if it is thrown out wrongly. More: How to prepare scrap metal for collection
Heavy melting steel (HMS) (HMS, No. 1 HMS, No. 2 HMS)
Thick steel scrap that goes straight into a furnace. ReMA's No. 1 grade is steel at least 1/4 inch (about 6 mm) thick. No. 2 starts at 1/8 inch (about 3 mm). A yard may set its own limits. More: Steel and iron

I

Ingot
A solid block of metal cast from a melt. Recycled aluminium is cast into ingots at just over 700 degrees Celsius, and manufacturers then turn them into new products. More: How scrap metal is recycled
Insulated copper wire (insulated cable)
Copper wire still in its insulation. ReMA says it is sold on a sample or recovery basis, as agreed between buyer and seller, so what you get depends on the copper inside. More: Electrical cable

L

Lead-acid battery (car battery)
The heavy battery that starts most cars, made with lead and acid. Lead can poison people and animals and contaminate soil and water. The Australian Battery Recycling Initiative says it can be recycled many times. More: Batteries
Light iron
Thin steel such as roofing sheet, gutters, drums and appliance shells. ReMA's heavy melting steel grades start at about 3 mm, so thinner steel is graded differently. Each yard draws its own line, so ask. More: Steel and iron
Lithium-ion battery (Li-ion battery, lithium battery)
A rechargeable battery in most laptops, phones, e-bikes, e-scooters, power banks and power tools. If it is damaged or mishandled it can catch fire, explode or vent toxic gas. Keep it out of bins and scrap piles. More: Batteries

M

Metals recovery facility (scrap yard, scrap metal yard)
The national waste report's name for a site that sorts and prepares mixed recovered metals for reprocessing or remanufacturing. It includes scrap metal yards. More: Scrap metal

N

Net weight (net mass)
The weight of the load alone: the gross weight (vehicle and load) minus the tare (empty vehicle). The National Measurement Institute defines net mass the same way. More: How it works
New scrap (pre-consumer scrap, factory scrap)
Scrap made while products are being manufactured, such as offcuts and trimmings, before the product reaches a customer. Steelmakers call it pre-consumer scrap. More: How scrap metal is recycled
Nominated goods (nominated property)
A list of second-hand goods in Queensland's dealer law, such as items with a make, model or serial number, most electrical goods, jewellery and precious metals. A dealer must hold them for a set time. More: Selling scrap metal in Queensland: ID and records
Non-ferrous metal (non-ferrous, nonferrous)
Metal that is not mainly iron. The common ones are aluminium, copper, lead, zinc and nickel, plus alloys such as brass. Most do not stick to a magnet. More: What we buy

O

Old scrap (post-consumer scrap, end-of-life scrap)
Scrap from products that people have used and thrown away. The Australian Aluminium Council calls it old scrap. Steelmakers call it post-consumer or end-of-life scrap. More: How scrap metal is recycled

R

Refrigerant (fridge gas, fluorocarbon refrigerant)
The gas inside fridges, freezers and air conditioners that makes them cool. If it escapes it can damage the ozone layer. Releasing fluorocarbon refrigerant is illegal, so a licensed person must recover it first. More: White goods
Regulated waste
Waste that needs more careful management than general waste such as household rubbish. Business Queensland says asbestos and lead acid battery waste fall under regulated waste transport laws. More: Batteries

S

Second-hand dealer (licensed second-hand dealer, licensed dealer)
A business licensed under Queensland's Second-hand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Act 2003 to deal in second-hand goods. The Department of Justice says a business that deals in scrap metal must hold this licence. More: Selling scrap metal in Queensland: ID and records
Secondary metal (recycled metal, primary metal)
Metal made from recycled scrap instead of from ore. Metal made from ore is called primary. The International Copper Association says secondary copper has the same performance properties as primary copper. More: How scrap metal is recycled
Shredded scrap
Iron and steel scrap torn into small pieces by a shredder and separated with magnets. ReMA's grade covers scrap from cars, unprepared No. 1 and No. 2 steel, and baling and sheet scrap. More: How scrap metal is recycled
Shredder fluff (shredder residue)
The mixed residue left after shredded cars and appliances have had their metals separated out. A University of Cambridge teaching package says it has been sent to landfill because separating it further costs too much. More: How scrap metal is recycled
Stainless steel
Steel with at least 10.5% chromium, which stops it rusting. Some grades stick to a magnet and some do not, so a magnet test can mislead you. More: Stainless steel
Swarf (metal shavings, borings)
The chips, curls and shavings left when metal is cut, drilled or turned in a workshop. Recyclers call the steel kind turnings or borings. ReMA's clean turnings grade must be free of excessive oil. More: Manufacturing and workshops

T

Tare (tare weight, tare mass)
The weight of the vehicle before it is loaded. A weighbridge takes it away from the gross weight to find the net weight of the load. More: How it works
Transaction register (register)
The record a licensed dealer must keep of the second-hand goods it buys, sells or disposes of. An entry includes who sold the goods, what ID was checked and whether they own them. More: Selling scrap metal in Queensland: ID and records
Turnings (machine shop turnings)
Curls and chips cut off metal by a lathe. ReMA's machine shop turnings grade is clean steel or wrought iron turnings, free of loose nonferrous metal, scale and excessive oil. More: Manufacturing and workshops

V

VIN (vehicle identification number)
The vehicle identification number, a unique number for each vehicle that is shown on its VIN plate. Queensland says the VIN on a registration certificate should match the vehicle.

W

Weighbridge
A large scale that weighs a whole vehicle, including a truck and trailer. The National Measurement Institute says a weighbridge used to buy or sell goods must be an approved type and verified. More: How it works

X

XRF analyser (X-ray fluorescence)
A machine that uses X-rays to identify which metal or alloy a piece is. The British Metals Recycling Association calls X-ray fluorescence a key tool for recyclers to tell alloys and metals apart. More: How scrap metal is recycled

45 terms. Updated 2 October 2026.

Sources

How to identify scrap metal and tell copper from brassStart with a magnet, then scratch a hidden spot and check the weight. Copper is reddish-gold, brass is yellow, and neither sticks to a…Read more Ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal we buy in BrisbaneForge Recyclers buys ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal, plus catalytic converters, from trades and businesses across Brisbane and South…Read more Scrap metal identification chartThis scrap metal identification chart compares 15 metals by scratched colour, magnet result and weight. Use a magnet, a scratch and a…Read more Selling scrap metal in Queensland: ID and recordsYes, expect to show ID. A licensed second-hand dealer in Queensland must see ID with your name and address, and record who you are and how…Read more How scrap metal is recycledScrap metal is recycled in five stages: collection, sorting, processing, melting and refining, and casting into ingots that manufacturers…Read more

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