Scrap metal price chart
This scrap metal price chart shows world benchmark prices for six metals since January 2023. They are prices for refined metal, not what a Brisbane yard pays for scrap. Yards pay less after sorting, processing, freight and margin.
On this page
This chart shows how world metal prices have moved since January 2023. It covers six metals: copper, aluminium, zinc, lead, nickel and tin.
What does the chart show?
Each line is one metal. Every line starts at 100 in January 2023, so you can compare metals that cost very different amounts. A line above 100 means the metal costs more than it did then. A line below 100 means it costs less.
- Copper
- Aluminium
- Zinc
- Lead
- Nickel
- Tin
Change from Jan 2023 to Oct 2026: Copper +61%, Aluminium +22%, Zinc +15%, Lead −16%, Nickel −45%, Tin +84%.
Each point is the monthly average price divided by the January 2023 price, times 100. So 150 means 50% above January 2023 and 80 means 20% below. An index lets metals of very different price share one chart. These are world benchmark prices for refined metal in US dollars. They are not what a scrap yard pays.
View as a table
| Date | Copper | Aluminium | Zinc | Lead | Nickel | Tin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2023 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Feb 2023 | 98.9 | 96.6 | 94.7 | 95.1 | 94.8 | 95.4 |
| Mar 2023 | 98 | 91.8 | 89.6 | 96.1 | 82.6 | 85.2 |
| Apr 2023 | 97.5 | 93.6 | 83.6 | 97.6 | 84.7 | 91.6 |
| May 2023 | 90.9 | 90.7 | 74.8 | 94.7 | 77.9 | 90.7 |
| Jun 2023 | 92.9 | 87.3 | 71.8 | 96.5 | 75.3 | 96.7 |
| Jul 2023 | 93.8 | 86.3 | 72.7 | 95.8 | 74.8 | 102.1 |
| Aug 2023 | 92.4 | 85.4 | 72.7 | 97.9 | 72.5 | 92.6 |
| Sep 2023 | 91.6 | 87.3 | 75.4 | 102.3 | 69.7 | 90.8 |
| Oct 2023 | 87.8 | 87.6 | 74 | 97 | 64.8 | 87.1 |
| Nov 2023 | 90.6 | 88 | 76.9 | 99.4 | 60.4 | 85.8 |
| Dec 2023 | 92.9 | 87.2 | 75.6 | 92.1 | 58.4 | 87.4 |
| Jan 2024 | 92.3 | 87.6 | 76 | 94.8 | 57.1 | 89.2 |
| Feb 2024 | 91.9 | 87.1 | 71.3 | 94.5 | 57.9 | 92.7 |
| Mar 2024 | 96.1 | 89 | 74.4 | 93.4 | 61.9 | 97.5 |
| Apr 2024 | 104.7 | 100.2 | 82.6 | 96.7 | 64.4 | 112.9 |
| May 2024 | 112.2 | 102.5 | 89.4 | 100.9 | 69.5 | 117.1 |
| Jun 2024 | 106.7 | 99.8 | 84.9 | 97.5 | 62.1 | 113.8 |
| Jul 2024 | 103.8 | 93.9 | 83.9 | 95.7 | 57.9 | 113.2 |
| Aug 2024 | 99.3 | 93.7 | 82 | 90.6 | 57.8 | 111.9 |
| Sep 2024 | 102.2 | 97.9 | 85.7 | 90.9 | 57 | 111.8 |
| Oct 2024 | 105.5 | 103.8 | 93.8 | 92.4 | 59.5 | 113.7 |
| Nov 2024 | 100.4 | 103.2 | 90.8 | 90.3 | 55.8 | 105.3 |
| Dec 2024 | 98.7 | 101.6 | 91.7 | 90.4 | 54.8 | 102.5 |
| Jan 2025 | 99.5 | 102.8 | 85.2 | 87.3 | 54.6 | 105.2 |
| Feb 2025 | 103.2 | 106.2 | 84.6 | 88.9 | 54.2 | 113.1 |
| Mar 2025 | 107.8 | 106.2 | 87.3 | 92.4 | 57 | 120.9 |
| Apr 2025 | 101.5 | 94.8 | 79.2 | 86.5 | 53.6 | 115.7 |
| May 2025 | 105.5 | 97.9 | 79.9 | 89 | 54.4 | 113.6 |
| Jun 2025 | 108.8 | 101 | 80.2 | 89.7 | 53.2 | 115.6 |
| Jul 2025 | 108.1 | 104.2 | 83.5 | 90.5 | 53.3 | 119.4 |
| Aug 2025 | 107 | 103.8 | 84.3 | 88.5 | 53 | 120.2 |
| Sep 2025 | 110.5 | 106 | 88.6 | 88.8 | 53.6 | 122.5 |
| Oct 2025 | 118.8 | 111.6 | 95.2 | 89.4 | 53.5 | 127.9 |
| Nov 2025 | 119.6 | 112.7 | 96 | 90.8 | 52 | 131.3 |
| Dec 2025 | 130.4 | 114.9 | 95.7 | 88.1 | 52.8 | 146.4 |
| Jan 2026 | 144 | 125.6 | 97.1 | 90.6 | 63 | 176 |
| Feb 2026 | 143.3 | 122.5 | 100.4 | 87.1 | 60.9 | 173 |
| Mar 2026 | 138.6 | 134.8 | 96.1 | 85.3 | 60.6 | 168.1 |
| Apr 2026 | 143.3 | 143.9 | 101.6 | 87.7 | 63.7 | 173.4 |
| May 2026 | 149.8 | 146.5 | 105.2 | 90.5 | 66.7 | 190.3 |
| Jun 2026 | 149.9 | 137.5 | 106.9 | 88.4 | 62.4 | 188.4 |
| Jul 2026 | 149.8 | 126.3 | 108.7 | 83.7 | 59.1 | 188.1 |
| Aug 2026 | 158.5 | 129.9 | 117.1 | 84.3 | 59.4 | 196.7 |
| Sep 2026 | 160.1 | 131.2 | 121.5 | 85.1 | 57.9 | 190.8 |
| Oct 2026 | 160.5 | 122.3 | 115.3 | 84.5 | 54.7 | 183.6 |
Sources: Commodity Markets, World Bank; Monthly prices spreadsheet (CMO-Historical-Data-Monthly.xlsx, updated 3 November 2026), World Bank. Checked 8 November 2026.
How do you read an index chart?
Look at the slope, not the height. A steep climb means the price rose fast. A line that falls means the price dropped.
Use the table to turn an index number into a percentage.
| Index value | What it means |
|---|---|
| 200 | Double the January 2023 price |
| 150 | 50% above January 2023 |
| 100 | Same price as January 2023 |
| 80 | 20% below January 2023 |
Source: calculated from the World Bank monthly prices, checked 8 November 2026
Here is an example from the data. In October 2026 copper stood at 160.5, which is 60.5% above January 2023. Tin stood at 183.6, which is 83.6% above.
Nickel stood at 54.7, which is 45.3% below. Lead stood at 84.5, which is 15.5% below.
What were the latest prices?
| Metal | US$ per tonne | US$ per kg | Change over 12 months (%) | Mostly used for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | 14,508 | 14.51 | +35.1 | Building work, electrical goods and transport |
| Aluminium | 3,061 | 3.06 | +9.6 | Transport, packaging and building |
| Zinc | 3,818 | 3.82 | +21.1 | Galvanising steel, then brass, bronze and other alloys |
| Lead | 1,860 | 1.86 | -5.5 | Lead-acid batteries, mostly |
| Nickel | 15,436 | 15.44 | +2.3 | Stainless steel and other alloys |
| Tin | 51,696 | 51.70 | +43.6 | Chemicals, tinplate, alloys and solder |
Sources: Commodity Markets, World Bank; Monthly prices spreadsheet (CMO-Historical-Data-Monthly.xlsx, updated 3 November 2026), World Bank; Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, US Geological Survey (for the uses). Checked 8 November 2026.
Monthly averages for October 2026 in nominal US dollars. US$ per kg is the price per tonne divided by 1,000. The 12-month change compares October 2026 with October 2025. Uses describe demand in the United States. These are world benchmark prices for refined metal. They are not what a scrap yard pays.
Divide a price per tonne by 1,000 to get a price per kilogram. The table does that for you. To get Australian dollars, divide by the exchange rate. The Reserve Bank of Australia publishes the daily rate.
The RBA says commodity exporters get more Australian dollars when the dollar falls. They get fewer when it rises, even if the world price has not moved (RBA Bulletin, April 1993).
What does each benchmark measure?
Each benchmark is the monthly average of the London Metal Exchange's daily settlement price for refined metal of a set purity. Scrap is not like that.
A common scrap grade called Number 2 copper is nominally 96% copper, with a minimum of 94% (ReMA ISRI Specifications). The copper benchmark must be at least 99.9935% copper.
| Metal | The benchmark covers | Purity |
|---|---|---|
| Copper | Grade A cathodes and wire bar shapes | At least 99.9935% |
| Aluminium | Unalloyed primary ingots, high grade | At least 99.7% |
| Zinc | High grade | At least 99.95% |
| Lead | Refined | 99.97% |
| Nickel | Cathodes | At least 99.8% |
| Tin | Refined | 99.85% |
Source: World Bank Pink Sheet, series descriptions, checked 8 November 2026
Why do yards pay less than these prices?
Contracts for physical metal usually start from a reference price like the London Metal Exchange's. The buyer and seller then agree discounts and premiums for location, grade, impurities and delivery terms (LME Insight, February 2018).
Scrap arrives mixed, coated and dirty, so the gap can be wide. The guide to what scrap metal is worth goes through each part of the gap.
Which metals are not on the chart?
The World Bank list has no price for brass, stainless steel or steel scrap, so they are not here. Ask us how we price them. The prices page shows how to compare quotes.
To tell metals apart first, see the identification chart.
Where can you get a price for your own metal?
Send photos and a rough weight through the quote form. Forge Recyclers replies with the next steps.
A photo quote is an estimate, because weighing and grading set the final figure.
Frequently asked questions
Is this what a scrap yard will pay me?
No. These are world benchmark prices for refined metal, based on London Metal Exchange settlement prices and published by the World Bank. A yard pays less for scrap, because it has to sort, process and ship the metal and cover its costs and margin. For a figure on your own metal, ask for a quote.
Why does the chart use an index and not dollars?
Metals cost very different amounts. In October 2026 tin cost about 28 times more per tonne than lead. On a dollar chart the cheaper metals would sit flat at the bottom. The index sets every metal to 100 in January 2023, so you can see how far each one has moved since then.
Where does the data come from?
The World Bank publishes the Pink Sheet every month. This chart uses its monthly average prices for copper, aluminium, zinc, lead, nickel and tin, in nominal US dollars. The date we last checked the data shows under each chart.
How do I turn US dollars per tonne into Australian dollars per kilogram?
Divide the price by 1,000 to get US dollars per kilogram. Then divide by the exchange rate, which is the US dollars one Australian dollar buys. For example, at 0.70, US$14 a kilogram is A$20 a kilogram. The answer is still a refined metal price, not a yard price.
Why is there no steel, brass or stainless steel line?
The World Bank list has no price for them. Its metal prices cover copper, aluminium, zinc, lead, nickel, tin, iron ore, gold, silver and platinum. Ask us how we price brass, stainless steel and steel scrap.
Sources
- Commodity Markets, World Bank (checked 8 November 2026)
- Monthly prices spreadsheet (CMO-Historical-Data-Monthly.xlsx, updated 3 November 2026), World Bank (checked 8 November 2026)
- Commodities Price Data (The Pink Sheet), 3 November 2026, World Bank (checked 8 November 2026)
- How are LME reference prices used in physical metals contracts? LME Insight, London Metal Exchange (February 2018) (checked 2 October 2026)
- ReMA's ISRI Specifications, July 2026, Recycled Materials Association (checked 2 October 2026)
- Reserve Bank of Australia Index of Commodity Prices, RBA Bulletin, April 1993 (checked 2 October 2026)
- Exchange Rates, Reserve Bank of Australia (checked 2 October 2026)
Related pages
Got scrap metal to sell?
Call us, or send a few photos and details with the quote form. We reply with a quote and pick it up from your site.