GLOSSARY OF SCRAP METAL AND RECYCLING TERMS
Alloys: A mixture of two or more metals.
Baler: A machine used to compress scrap metals and bundle them into different size parcels.
Broker: A person who acts as an intermediary or third party between the buyer and seller of scrap metal.
Cash Slip: A document that records the type and weight of the scrap being purchased and shows the amount that was paid for the scrap.
Casting: A process by which molten metal is poured into a mold and allowed to solidify.
Containers: Receptacles used to accumulate scrap metal by the person who generates the scrap. Examples of the different types of containers are hoppers, roll-off containers, drums, luggers, and bins.
Conveyor: A device with a continuous moving belt that can move scrap from one place to another.
Forging: The process of working metal parts into a shape by means of hammering or pressing the material after it has been rendered pliable by heating it to a high temperature.
Foundries: An establishment in which metal is cast.
Grapple: A device with claws at one end for grasping and holding.
Loader: A vehicle that moves scrap.
Magnet: A device attached to a crane and is used to pick up and move scrap metals
Metal Settlement Report: A statement that summarizes various scrap purchases. The detail on the statement is taken from the individual cash slips/weight tickets that are generated for each pick-up.
Mills: A factory where metals are worked into standard shapes suitable for fabrication into commercial products.
Mini-Mills: A factory similar to a mill that uses a substantial amount of scrap metal to make steel.
Ferrous Scrap:
Scrap iron and steel.
Home Scrap:
Scrap that is generated as steel mills and foundries form new products. The scrap generated is usually re-melted and used again at the same plant.
Industrial Scrap:
Scrap that is generated through a manufacturing process, such as stamping, drilling, or shearing. Industrial scrap is often referred to as new or prompt scrap.
Scrap Processors (Scrap Dealers, Scrap Recyclers): Businesses that buy scrap metal and eventually sell it to mills and foundries for remelting
Nonferrous Metals: Metals that contain little or no iron. They include aluminum, copper, lead, tin, zinc, and precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum, magnesium.
Nonferrous metals also include specialty metals such as titanium, cobalt, chromium, and tungsten and metal alloys made of a combination of two or three metals, such as brass-made of copper and zinc, bronze-a blend of copper, and tin and zinc.
Obsolete Scrap: Scrap generated from items that have outlived their usefulness, such as metal from buildings, homes, industrial equipment, and autos.
Ordinance: Military weapons, ammunition, and equipment used to maintain the weapons and the ammunition.
Peddler: A person who purchases scrap metal and resells it to a scrap processor.
Shears: Equipment used to cut scrap metal.
Shipper: This statement is generated by a seller of scrap metal when the scrap is removed from the seller’s location. In most cases, a general description of the scrap metal is recorded on the shipper.
Shredder: A machine that hammers scrap metal into small pieces. The pieces are then separated into ferrous metal; nonferrous metals; and nonmetallics, generally not further separated at this time, including debris.
Weight Ticket: This statement records the type and weight of the metals purchased by the processor and the price paid for the metal.
There are instances where a weight ticket may only include the weight of the scrap metal.
This information is then transferred to a cash slip/weight ticket.
