Copper cable scrap price per kilo: our buying prices today

80% High-Recovery Copper Cable

Heavy-duty electrical cables with high copper content

80% High-Recovery Copper Cable is a premium grade of insulated electrical cable containing a very high proportion of recoverable copper compared with the total cable weight. At Bull Métal, this category covers cables with an approximate copper recovery of 80%, with most of the remaining weight consisting of insulation and outer sheathing. This grade is typically found in large-section electrical and power cables designed to carry high electrical loads. They are commonly used in industrial installations, power distribution systems, electrical equipment, machinery, workshops and technical infrastructure. Typical sources include electrical contractors, industrial electricians, factories, manufacturing plants, maintenance companies, renovation contractors and demolition companies, generating production offcuts, installation scrap and cable recovered from dismantled electrical systems. At Bull Métal, grading is based on the actual recoverable copper content. A large outside diameter does not automatically mean a high-recovery cable: conductor size, insulation thickness and any additional materials all affect the final copper yield. Large terminals, connectors, metal attachments and other foreign materials should be removed whenever possible. Cables with a lower copper recovery are classified according to their actual copper content. Once stripped, this grade produces a high proportion of bare copper, which can then be sorted into the appropriate clean copper grade according to conductor type and condition. Bull Métal tip: electricians and industrial sites should keep very high-recovery cables separate from R2V, 65% electrician cable and lower-grade insulated cable. Sorting at the worksite, workshop or production plant helps ensure that high-copper-content cable receives the correct valuation.

High-Grade Electrician Copper Cable – 65%

Electrician wire and high-recovery cable with approximately 65% copper

65% Copper Recovery Cable is Bull Métal’s high-grade category for insulated electrical wire and cable containing a high proportion of recoverable copper, typically around 65% or more depending on cable type and conductor size. This grade includes single-core building wire, commonly referred to as câble couleur or câble électricien in the French scrap trade, as well as other high-recovery insulated copper cables with relatively large copper conductors and limited insulation. H07V-U uses a solid bare copper conductor with PVC insulation, while H07V-K uses flexible stranded copper conductors. Typical sources include electricians, electrical contractors, panel builders, construction companies, industrial maintenance teams, factories and manufacturing plants, generating installation offcuts, switchboard wiring, production scrap and recovered electrical wire. At Bull Métal, classification is based primarily on actual copper recovery. A large outside diameter does not automatically mean a rich cable: the amount of copper must be high compared with the weight of the insulation. Cables containing heavy insulation, steel armour, large plugs or connectors, tinned conductors or significant foreign materials may be classified under another grade. Bull Métal tip: keep high-grade electrician wire separate from R2V power cable, data cable and lower-recovery cable. Proper segregation at the worksite or production line helps preserve a higher-value copper cable grade.

U-1000 RO2V Copper Power Cable

Rigid copper power cable for buildings, commercial and industrial installations

U-1000 R2V Copper Power Cable is widely used for fixed electrical installations in buildings, commercial premises and industrial facilities. In France it is also frequently referred to informally as RO2V. It contains one or more copper conductors protected by insulation and an outer sheath, usually black. This cable is commonly recovered from electrical installations, power distribution systems, construction sites, factories, workshops and building renovation or demolition projects. Typical suppliers include electricians, electrical contractors, construction companies, industrial plants, maintenance contractors and demolition companies. U-1000 R2V typically uses bare stranded copper conductors, generally Class 2, with XLPE insulation and a PVC outer sheath. It is produced in a wide range of conductor sizes and configurations, from small building cables to large industrial power cables. At Bull Métal, the value of R2V cable depends largely on its actual copper content. There is no single copper percentage for every R2V cable: recovery varies according to conductor size, number of cores and insulation thickness. Larger conductor sizes generally provide a higher copper-to-insulation ratio than smaller cables. Large foreign attachments such as electrical equipment, steel components and bulky terminals should be removed whenever possible. Once fully stripped, the recovered copper may qualify for a higher copper grade depending on its cleanliness and condition. Bull Métal tip: professional electricians and industrial sites should keep large R2V power cables separate from small wiring and low-voltage communication cables. Better segregation makes copper-content assessment easier and helps achieve the correct scrap classification.

Mixed Copper Cable

Mixed insulated electrical cables with a minimum 50% copper recovery

Mixed Copper Cable includes different types of insulated electrical cable that do not necessarily belong to one specific cable construction or grade. At Bull Métal, this category is reserved for cables with a minimum recoverable copper content of 50% by weight. This grade may include various electrical cables, power cables, industrial cables and wiring offcuts generated by electricians, electrical contractors, construction companies, factories, workshops, maintenance companies, renovation contractors and demolition businesses. The value of an insulated cable depends primarily on the amount of recoverable copper compared with the weight of its insulation, outer sheath and other components. Two cables with a similar outside diameter can therefore have very different copper recoveries. At Bull Métal, cables are valued according to their actual copper content. Mixed Copper Cable must contain at least 50% recoverable copper. Higher-recovery material that meets our 65% or 80% cable grades can be classified and valued accordingly, while lower-recovery cables are graded according to their actual composition. Plugs, large connectors, steel attachments, electrical boxes and other foreign materials should be removed whenever possible to maintain the quality of the load. Bull Métal tip: do not automatically mix all cable grades together. Separating cables according to copper recovery helps prevent high-copper-content material from being downgraded.

Copper Data & Network Cable

RJ45 and Ethernet network cables with copper conductors

Copper Data & Network Cable includes cables used for data transmission in computer and communication networks. Typical examples include copper Ethernet and RJ45 cables used in offices, commercial buildings, server rooms, network cabinets and professional IT infrastructure. This material is commonly generated by network installers, electricians, IT contractors, system integrators, data centres, maintenance companies and building refurbishment or strip-out contractors, as well as from offices, commercial premises and industrial facilities undergoing network upgrades. These cables contain several small copper conductors surrounded by insulation and an outer sheath. Depending on the cable category, conductor size and shielding construction, copper recovery can vary significantly. Some scrap yards use a commercial grade of approximately 20% copper recovery for computer cable, but the actual copper content is not identical across all network cables. At Bull Métal, copper data cables should be kept as free as possible from plugs, large connectors, steel parts and other foreign materials. Fibre optic cable is excluded from this grade, as it does not contain the same recoverable copper content. Coaxial or heavily shielded cables may also require a separate classification depending on their construction. Bull Métal tip: when dismantling server rooms, network cabinets or office installations, separate copper RJ45 cables from fibre optic, power and other cable types at source. A homogeneous load is easier to identify, grade and value correctly.

Steel-Armoured Copper Cable

Copper cables with steel armour or steel components, minimum 30% copper

Steel-Armoured Copper Cable includes electrical cables containing copper conductors combined with steel armour, reinforcement or other ferrous components. This reinforced construction is commonly used where additional mechanical protection is required, particularly in certain industrial, technical and power installations. This type of scrap can be generated through electrical work, industrial maintenance, refurbishment, demolition and equipment dismantling, as well as from factories, construction sites and technical infrastructure. At Bull Métal, this grade is reserved for armoured cables containing a minimum of 30% recoverable copper by weight. The value of the material therefore depends on the actual proportion of copper compared with steel armour, insulation and other cable components. If the copper recovery is below 30%, the material no longer qualifies for our Steel-Armoured Copper Cable grade and is classified with ferrous scrap, according to its composition and condition. Cables containing lead sheathing or significant amounts of other metals may require a separate assessment, as armoured cable constructions can vary considerably. Bull Métal tip: a heavy cable is not necessarily a high-copper cable. Steel armour can add substantial weight, so classification is based on the actual recoverable copper content, not simply on cable diameter or total weight.