Ferrous vs Non-Ferrous Metals: A Singapore Identification Guide

If you deal with scrap metal in Singapore — clearing a workshop, decommissioning equipment, or running a construction site — knowing the difference between ferrous and non-ferrous metals is the single biggest factor in how much you get paid. Mix them together and you’ll be paid at the lower ferrous rate. Separate them and non-ferrous can be worth 10 to 50 times more.

The Simple Definition

• Ferrous metals contain iron. They’re magnetic, prone to rust, and relatively cheap per kilogram. Examples: mild steel, stainless steel, cast iron, wrought iron.
• Non-ferrous metals don’t contain significant iron. They’re non-magnetic, usually corrosion-resistant, and more valuable. Examples: copper, aluminium, brass, lead, zinc, nickel, tin.

Stainless steel is the odd one — technically ferrous (contains iron), but often non-magnetic because of its nickel content. It’s priced more like a non-ferrous metal in the scrap market.

The Magnet Test

A fridge magnet tells you almost everything:

• Sticks strongly: ferrous — mild steel, cast iron, rebar. See our ferrous metals buying page.
• Doesn’t stick at all: non-ferrous — copper, aluminium, brass. See our non-ferrous metals page.
• Weak or inconsistent pull: could be 300-series stainless steel or a ferrous alloy with low iron.

Colour and Weight Tests

If the magnet test is ambiguous, use these secondary cues:

• Reddish-brown, easily scratched: copper — our highest-priced regular scrap
• Golden-yellow, heavier than copper: brass — common in fittings and radiators
• Pinkish-red, dull: red brass (bronze) — even higher copper content than yellow brass
• Light, silvery: aluminium — extrusions, cans, sheet
• Dull grey, rust quickly: HMS steel
• Black/grey, brittle (chips rather than bends): cast iron

Why the Distinction Matters for Pricing

Non-ferrous metals are harder to extract from ore, so recycled non-ferrous scrap is in constant high demand globally. Ferrous scrap is abundant — construction sites generate tonnes weekly — so it’s priced lower.

Indicative Singapore rates (April 2026):

• Copper bright: $9.00/kg
• Brass: $6.50/kg
• Aluminium extrusion: $2.00/kg
• Stainless 304: $1.80/kg
• HMS 1 (ferrous): $0.35/kg
• Cast iron: $0.40/kg

A 100 kg load of sorted copper is worth $900. The same 100 kg mixed into a HMS pile is worth $35. Sorting is the single most profitable thing you can do with scrap.

When in Doubt, Let the Buyer Sort

If you’re clearing an old factory or workshop and can’t identify everything confidently, don’t guess. Book a pickup with Molten Steel — we sort and grade on arrival, at no charge. You get the right rate for each grade, without having to learn metallurgy.