Independent metal pricing

Aluminum Scrap Calculator: Benchmark Value and Offer Estimate

Aluminum scrap is priced by grade, preparation, and local demand. Enter the benchmark and the payout percentage quoted for your material instead of relying on a fake national rate.

CME primary aluminum benchmark: $3,364.25/mt

CME Jul 31, 2026 settlement — user editable

Grade identifies the material but does not apply an invented automatic discount. Changing it clears the payout percentage.

Primary-metal benchmark value
$0.00
Weight × the high-grade primary-aluminum benchmark — not a local scrap quote.
Estimated scrap offer
—
Benchmark value × the payout percentage you entered.

Sort aluminum before taking it to the yard

Cans, extrusion, wheels, sheet, castings, and irony aluminum trade as different grades. Keep them separate and remove steel, rubber, plastic, and other attachments where the extra labor is worthwhile; mixed material is normally priced at the lowest accepted grade.

The benchmark is not a scrap quote

CME physical aluminum is a high-grade primary-metal contract quoted in dollars per metric tonne. This calculator converts that benchmark to dollars per pound. Enter the payout percentage from the quote or pricing source you trust to estimate the scrap offer.

Why the calculator does not guess a grade discount

ReMA specifications define traded aluminum grades, but no national percentage maps every grade to primary metal. Local demand, freight, contamination, and lot size move the payout, so the calculator requires your own expected percentage.

Frequently asked questions

How much is aluminum scrap worth per pound?

Aluminum scrap value per pound depends on the grade and the local yard's board price. Use the editable benchmark and enter the payout percentage quoted for your material, then confirm the actual price before hauling it.

Are aluminum cans worth the same as clean extrusion?

No. Post-consumer cans and clean extrusion are separate scrap grades with different processing requirements and buyer demand, so yards normally quote them at different prices.

What aluminum scrap is worth the most?

Clean, identified material such as wire or extrusion usually brings a stronger quote than mixed, coated, or irony aluminum. The exact ranking still depends on the buyer and local market.

Should I melt aluminum before selling it?

Usually not. Scrap yards prefer recognizable, sorted grades, while homemade ingots can hide alloy and contamination and may be harder to sell.

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