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Scrap Metal Prices in Minnesota

Monthly IMF averages for Minnesota, then a grade estimate if we have one. Not a yard quote.

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Current estimates

Updated monthly · IMF monthly avg, Sep 2026

  • Copper pipe and fittings in a scrap pile.

    Copper

    $6.56/lb

  • Aluminum extrusions in a scrap pile.

    Aluminum

    $1.49/lb

  • Zinc

    $1.82/lb

  • Brass plumbing fittings.

    Brass

    $3.18 – $3.95/lb est.

  • Cut steel beams and rusty iron at a scrap yard.

    Steel

    Coming soon

  • Insulated wire

    Coming soon

  • A car battery next to auto parts on gravel.

    Auto batteries

    Coming soon

Load estimator

A range, not a check. Photos still decide the trip.

Unit

Bare bright copper · Minnesota · 100 lb

$478 – $541

$4.78 – $5.41 per pound

What affects scrap prices in Minnesota

Twin Cities shredders and iron-range steel. Northern loads cost more to consolidate. That is geography and freight talking, not a posted scale. FindScrapGuy does not list yards or quote a Minnesota law.

Copper, aluminum, and zinc spots here are converted to dollars per pound. A yard almost never pays that full number for mixed pipe or dirty wire. Grade is the cut: bare bright is cleaner than #2 copper; yellow brass is priced as a share of copper, not as its own exchange metal. Steel (HMS #1) follows mill programs and does not tick with the nonferrous board, so we leave it marked coming soon until a monthly desk number is set.

Freight and local demand

A ton in a mill state does not cost the same to move as a ton in a mountain or island market. Our state factor is a small index around 1.00 for Minnesota. Hub states sit closer to consumers. Remote states pay more diesel. It is a model, not an average of scale tickets, and it is not legal advice.

How to get paid more for scrap

Sort before you call. Keep copper away from brass and steel. Strip insulation when the wire is heavy enough to justify the time. Cut off iron hangers, wet cardboard, and dirty fittings. A magnet test takes seconds: if it sticks, it is not copper. Dry metal pays better than a soaked pile because yards weigh water too.

Photos beat a long description. Show the pile, the access, and a close-up of the cleanest grade. A local independent scrap guy can tell whether the load covers the drive. Matching is free. They talk terms. We do not buy metal or roll a truck. For the conversion math, see how these estimates are built. Source: International Monetary Fund via FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Scrap price questions

Is this what a yard will pay in Minnesota?

No. Commodity spots set a ceiling. A local yard subtracts processing, freight, contamination, and margin. Two yards on the same road can post different numbers. These pages are estimates, not a scale ticket or a bid.

How are these scrap price estimates calculated?

Copper uses the IMF Global Price of Copper on FRED (series PCOPPUSDM), reported in dollars per metric ton and converted to dollars per pound. Aluminum and zinc prefer MetalpriceAPI, with FRED fallback if needed. Grade ranges apply a published payout band, then a state freight factor. Source: International Monetary Fund via FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

How often do these prices update?

The FRED copper, aluminum, and zinc series we use are monthly averages, not a live tick. A daily cron stores the latest snapshot. If a metal is missing, the board keeps the last good value or shows that no market data is loaded yet. We do not invent a spot.

Why would Minnesota pay a different street price?

Freight and local melt or export demand. Hub mill states sit closer to consumers. Remote states pay more to move a ton. Our state factor is a model around 1.00, not an average of surveyed yards, and it is not a law or a posted scale.

How can I get paid more for scrap?

Separate metals. Strip insulation when it is worth the time. Keep copper dry and away from brass and steel. Cut off iron hangers and dirty fittings. Photos of a sorted pile help a local scrap guy quote faster. Mixing grades usually pays at the lowest grade in the pile.

Will someone pick this up?

Sometimes, if the metal covers the drive. Sometimes they pay you. Sometimes they pass. Matching is free for customers. FindScrapGuy does not haul, buy metal, or promise a truck in every ZIP.

Nearby state scrap prices

Freight does not stop at the state line. Compare the same estimates next door, then send photos if you want a local match.

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Cut steel and iron stacked at a scrap yard.

Need this picked up?

Send photos. We help you find a local independent scrap guy. Matching is free. They talk terms. We do not roll a truck.

I'm a hauler, get leads

Prices may be delayed. Estimates from commodity spots (MetalpriceAPI and IMF via FRED), published payout ranges, and state freight tiers — not a yard quote. FindScrapGuy does not buy metal or pay you. As of IMF monthly avg, Sep 2026. How we calculate this.

Source: International Monetary Fund via FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis