How to Sell Scrap Metal in Singapore: A Practical Guide for 2026

Selling scrap metal in Singapore is straightforward — but doing it right can mean the difference between an average payout and a top one. This guide walks you through every step: knowing what you have, preparing the load, finding a licensed buyer, and getting paid fast.

Step 1: Identify What Scrap You Have

Scrap metal falls into two broad categories: ferrous (iron-containing, magnetic) and non-ferrous (everything else). Non-ferrous pays significantly more per kilogram — copper, brass, and aluminium can be 10-50 times the price of HMS (heavy melting scrap) steel.

The simplest test: hold a magnet to the metal. If it sticks, it’s ferrous. If not, it’s non-ferrous and more valuable. From there:

• Reddish-brown, easily scratched: copper scrap — the highest-value common scrap metal in Singapore
• Yellow-gold, heavy: brass scrap — fittings, radiators, marine parts
• Light silver, non-magnetic: aluminium scrap — extrusions, cans, sheet
• Dull silver, non-magnetic, hard: stainless steel scrap
• Black/grey, magnetic, brittle: cast iron scrap — engine blocks, pipes, cookware

Step 2: Sort and Prepare Your Scrap

Mixed loads always earn less than sorted loads. Every buyer grades down for attachments, plastic, and contamination. A few minutes separating metals can add 20-40% to your payout:

• Separate copper wire from mixed cable (bright copper = top rate; PVC-insulated = 30% less).
• Strip brass fittings of steel attachments.
• Keep stainless 304 separate from 316 (316 is worth ~40% more).
• Remove motors, compressors, and transformers — they often contain copper worth pulling out.

If pre-sorting isn’t feasible (big factory clearance, for instance), licensed buyers like Molten Steel will sort on arrival at no charge. You lose a little on the mixed rate vs. sorted, but save the labour.

Step 3: Get Current Scrap Metal Prices

Scrap metal prices in Singapore are benchmarked daily against the London Metal Exchange (LME) and regional scrap indices. Rates move with global commodity markets — sometimes 5-10% week to week. For the latest rates, check our scrap metal price page or call for a firm quote on your specific load.

Ballpark (April 2026): copper bright $9/kg, aluminium extrusion $2/kg, brass $6.50/kg, stainless 304 $1.80/kg, HMS 1 $0.35/kg. Volume matters — larger loads unlock bonus rates.

Step 4: Choose a Licensed Buyer

Only sell to a licensed scrap metal dealer in Singapore. Unlicensed buyers offer “too good to be true” prices, then lowball at the weigh station, fiddle with scales, or short-pay. NEA-licensed operators work on transparent, documented pricing.

Red flags to avoid: cash-only with no receipt, uncalibrated scales, refusal to weigh on-site, insistence on collecting before quoting.

Step 5: Schedule Pickup or Drop-off

Most Singapore scrap dealers offer free pickup for qualifying loads (typically 100 kg+ mixed). For smaller quantities, drop-off at the yard is the way. Molten Steel’s yard at 170 Gul Circle is open Mon-Sat 8:30am-6:30pm and Sun 8:30am-3:30pm.

We cover all of Singapore with same-day response in Jurong, Tuas, Sungei Kadut, and Woodlands. Other zones typically 24-48 hours.

Step 6: Weigh, Quote, and Get Paid

On arrival (yard or pickup), your load is weighed on certified scales, graded by type, and priced against that day’s LME-benchmarked rate. You see the reading, agree the grade, and get paid — bank transfer, cheque, or cash for smaller amounts. Same-day, no invoicing delays.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Not sorting non-ferrous from ferrous. Mixing copper with steel drops the copper to HMS rate.
• Selling to the first caller. Rates can vary 10-15% between dealers. Get two quotes on larger loads.
• Letting scrap sit outside. Rust on ferrous is minor, but copper oxidation drops grade.
• Skipping the weigh. Always weigh on-site or at a certified scale — never accept “estimates”.