Brass Scrap Price Australia: 2026 Price Guide
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If you have old taps, brass fittings, valves or offcuts sitting around, you could be holding valuable scrap without realising it. Brass scrap prices in Australia range from around $3,500 to $10,500 per tonne in 2026, with the final price depending on the brass grade, condition and amount of contamination. In Perth, the difference between clean and contaminated brass can directly affect what you get paid.
This guide covers current brass scrap prices per tonne, Perth rates, brass grades, how to work out your load’s value and how to get the current price before you sell.
What Is the Brass Scrap Price in Australia Right Now?
Current Australian scrap rates put brass at roughly $3,500 to $10,500 per tonne. The exact number depends on grade, location, and buyer.
For a mixed, unsorted load, most yards pay somewhere in the middle. That usually works out to around $5,000 to $6,500 per tonne. Very clean, high copper brass can push past $8,000 per tonne. Some yards advertise rates above $10,000 per tonne for the best-graded material.
Brass that is dirty, painted, or mixed with other scrap can drop as low as $2,000 to $3,500 per tonne.
Treat these numbers as a starting point, not a promise. Rates shift with copper and zinc markets. The only way to know your exact rate is to have your load weighed and graded in person.
Brass Scrap Price Perth vs the Rest of Australia
Perth rates broadly track the national range, though local yards tend to sit a little tighter than the east coast.
Recent WA data puts clean, sorted brass at roughly $6,000 to $8,500 per tonne. Contaminated or mixed brass falls to around $3,500 to $4,000 per tonne. Melbourne yards show a similar spread. Some advertise up to $9,500 per tonne for premium grades, while others sit closer to $3,500 to $6,000 per tonne for standard mixed loads.
The lesson here is simple. Grade moves the price far more than the city does. A well-sorted load in Perth will usually earn more than a dirty, mixed load anywhere else in the country.
How Much Is Brass Worth Per Tonne? Compare the Main Grades
Brass scrap type | Indicative price per tonne | Why the price differs |
Clean brass | $6,000 to $10,500 | Higher grade, ready to process straight away |
Mixed brass | $4,000 to $5,500 | Different brass types combined |
Contaminated brass | $2,000 to $3,500 | Steel, plastic, or rubber attached lowers the grade |
General brass scrap | $5,000 to $6,500 | Depends on the actual makeup of the load |
Disclaimer: These are indicative Australian averages based on current pricing data. Actual rates vary by grade, cleanliness, quantity, location, and buyer. Always confirm the current rate with your chosen yard before you sell.
Clean brass earns the top rate because a buyer can process it right away without sorting it first. Old door knobs, tap bodies with the washers removed, and brass instrument parts are good examples.
Mixed brass is a load with different types thrown together, like yellow brass and red brass in the same bucket. It still pays reasonably well, but the buyer needs more time to sort it before grading it.
Contaminated brass pays the least. This is brass that still has steel, rubber, or plastic attached, like a tap with the steel stem left on. Stripping the non-brass parts off before you arrive can genuinely lift your rate.
Yellow Brass vs Red Brass: Does the Type Matter?
Not all brass is the same way.
Yellow brass is the standard type. You will find it in taps, fittings, and most plumbing hardware.
Red brass carries a higher copper, It shows up more in valves and marine parts. Because copper is worth more than zinc, red brass can attract a slightly better rate per tonne. This still depends on the buyer’s own grading on the day.
Machining offcuts and swarf are usually priced separately from solid pieces, since they take more handling to process.
How Is Your Brass Scrap Value Calculated?
Scrap yards quote brass prices by the tonne, so the value of your load depends on the current rate and the total amount of brass you are selling. For example, if a yard is paying $5,500 per tonne, a full tonne of brass would be valued at $5,500 before grading or other adjustments.
The quoted rate is an indication of the value, not a guaranteed final payment. Once your brass reaches the yard, it is weighed and inspected to confirm its grade and condition. Clean, sorted brass can qualify for a higher rate, while steel, plastic, rubber or other materials attached to the brass can reduce the price.
For an accurate valuation, check the current price per tonne with your chosen scrap buyer and have the load professionally weighed and graded at the yard. The certified yard scale and final assessment determine the amount you receive.
What Changes the Price You Get for Brass Scrap?
Brass grade and type:
Yellow brass is the standard. Red brass, with more copper, can mean a slightly better rate. Machining offcuts are usually priced on their own.
Cleanliness and contamination:
Anything that is not brass lowers your rate. This includes steel washers, rubber seals, plastic handles, and general dirt. A tap with the steel stem still attached is priced lower than the same tap with the steel removed.
Quantity and location:
Bigger, well-sorted loads are easier for a yard to handle, so they can often offer a better rate per tonne than a small, mixed bag. Yards further from a processing centre carry higher transport costs, which can affect the rate too.
Metal market conditions:
Brass is mostly copper and zinc, so it does not trade on its own. Movements in those two base metals on international markets flow through to what local yards pay, usually within days.
Why Does the Brass Scrap Price Change So Often?
The price you see quoted today can already be different from what you saw online last week. There is a simple reason for this.
Copper and zinc move daily on international markets, and those movements filter through to local brass pricing. How much brass people are bringing in, and how much stock a yard already holds, can push local prices up or down too. Transport and sorting costs also play a part.
Do not treat last week’s per-tonne number as guaranteed. Confirm the actual rate with the buyer before you commit to selling.
How Can You Check the Current Brass Scrap Price?
The fastest way to check today’s price is to contact a scrap yard directly with details of what you have.
- Identify the material. Confirm it is brass, not bronze or copper.
- Separate different grades where you can, such as yellow from red, or clean from contaminated.
- Estimate the weight using home scales for a smaller load.
- Tell the buyer what you have, including type and rough quantity.
- Ask for the current rate per tonne on that specific material.
- Have the load properly assessed once you arrive at the yard.
Working out the value yourself gives you a rough number to plan around. Checking the current rate tells you what a buyer will actually pay today.
Where Can You Sell Brass Scrap in Perth?
The best place to sell brass scrap in Perth is a buyer who weighs your load properly, grades it fairly, and gives you a clear price on the spot. Not just a vague promise of top dollar.
Before you pick a buyer, a few things are worth checking. Is their pricing clear and upfront, or just a marketing line? Do they weigh on a certified scale and sort brass by type, instead of lumping everything into one price? What are their opening hours, and do they collect larger loads?
Experience matters too. Perth has plenty of yards competing for the title of who pays best, and most will call themselves the king of scrap metal in some form. A yard that regularly handles different types of brass, from plumbing parts to old instruments, is more likely to grade your load correctly instead of guessing low.
Whether you are near Malaga, Wangara, Kewdale, or anywhere else across Perth, it pays to compare a couple of quotes before you commit. You can see how brass compares with copper, aluminium, and steel in our Perth scrap metal prices guide, or check which metals currently pay the most in our highest paying scrap metals breakdown.
Get a Current Price for Your Brass Scrap
West Coast Metals has been buying and recycling brass scrap for Perth households and tradies for over 20 years. Every load is weighed and assessed before we confirm the applicable rate.
If you have brass taps, fittings, valves, or machining scrap sitting around, get in touch with our team to discuss what you have and the current offer price. You can also read more about how our brass recycling service works before you visit.
As brass is a copper alloy, please bring a current driver’s licence and a utility bill no older than three months to complete the sale. This is a standard WA requirement for non-ferrous scrap.
Contact West Coast Metals for today’s rate, or drop into the yard at 22 Crocker Drive, Malaga WA 6090.
FAQs
Is brass scrap worth more than copper?
No. Copper generally sells for more per tonne, since brass is only part copper mixed with zinc. Red brass can come closer to copper prices, while yellow brass sits further below it.
Does brass colour affect its scrap price?
Yes, a little; a reddish colour usually means more copper, while a paler yellow usually means more zinc. Colour alone is not reliable though, so a proper check at the yard is the only way to know for sure.
Can brass with steel or plastic attached still be recycled?
Yes. It just takes more time to sort, which usually lowers your price per tonne a bit. Strip off what you can beforehand for a better payout.