Aluminum Sheet Scrap Price

No. 1 Copper Wire Nodules Scrap consists of high-purity copper particles produced by chopping or shredding clean, uncoated and unalloyed No. 1 copper wire. Commonly called copper nodules, copper chops or copper granules, the material is produced by wire and cable recycling operations.

Under the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) specifications, qualifying No. 1 Copper Wire Nodules are classified as Clove and must contain at least 99% copper. The specification also establishes strict requirements for metallic impurities, insulation, wire gauge and material preparation.

For scrap processors and copper buyers, understanding these requirements is essential. A load of copper granules may appear clean but still fail to meet Clove quality if it contains aluminum, tin, lead, residual insulation or other foreign material.

What Are No. 1 Copper Wire Nodules?

No. 1 Copper Wire Nodules are small copper pieces produced when suitable copper wire is mechanically chopped or shredded.

Unlike copper wire sold in long lengths or coils, nodules are a processed material. Their quality depends on the original wire, the effectiveness of separation and the purity of the finished product.

Wire-processing facilities may use the terms copper chops, copper granules and copper nodules for similar-looking materials. However, these descriptions do not automatically establish a standardized purchasing grade.

Clove is the specific ReMA specification for premium No. 1 Copper Wire Nodules.

What Is the ReMA Clove Copper Specification?

The Recycled Materials Association maintains the ISRI Specifications, which provide standardized descriptions for commercially traded recycled materials.

Under the Clove / No. 1 Copper Wire Nodules specification, the material must consist of No. 1 bare, uncoated and unalloyed copper wire that has been chopped or shredded.

Minimum Copper Content

The finished material must contain at least 99% copper.

This is a minimum purity requirement, not a statement that every ton of nodules will yield exactly 99% usable copper during remelting.

Prohibited Contamination

Clove material must be free of:

• Tin
• Lead
• Zinc
• Aluminum
• Iron
• Other metallic impurities
• Insulation
• Other foreign contamination

The specification is stricter than simply requiring the finished product to look clean or copper-colored.

Wire Gauge and Compaction

Material produced from wire finer than No. 16 B&S gauge requires agreement between buyer and seller. Hydraulically compacted material is also subject to such agreement.

These conditions should be included in the purchasing specification when relevant.

Does Clove Mean 99% Copper Recovery?

No. Copper content and copper recovery describe different things.

Copper content is the proportion of copper in the finished nodule material.

Copper recovery may refer to the share of copper recovered from the original wire-processing feedstock or the amount recovered during subsequent metallurgical processing.

Those recovery measures can be affected by equipment performance, material losses and processing conditions.

Clove requires a minimum copper content of 99% in the finished scrap. It does not guarantee a fixed processing or remelting yield.

What Does No. 16 B&S Wire Gauge Mean?

B&S refers to the Brown & Sharpe wire-gauge system, corresponding to the American Wire Gauge (AWG) system used for electrical conductors.

In this numbering system, higher gauge numbers indicate smaller wire diameters.

For example, No. 18 AWG wire is finer than No. 16 AWG wire.

ReMA's Clove specification requires buyer-seller agreement for nodules produced from wire finer than No. 16 B&S gauge.

It does not establish a rule that all Clove feedstock must be finer than No. 16 gauge.

Commercial guidance: When preparing nodules from fine wire, obtain acceptance from the receiving buyer before processing or shipping the material as Clove.

How Are Copper Wire Nodules Made?

Copper wire nodules are commonly produced through mechanical wire-processing systems designed to recover copper from wire and cable.

The exact process depends on the starting material and the equipment used.

1. Feedstock Identification and Sorting

Incoming wire is evaluated for conductor composition, coatings, insulation and foreign materials.

Clean No. 1 copper wire intended for Clove should be kept separate from aluminum wire, tinned copper, lower-grade conductors and mixed-metal cable.

2. Mechanical Chopping or Shredding

The accepted wire is cut into shorter pieces using appropriate equipment.

This produces material suitable for further size reduction or separation.

3. Granulation

Granulators reduce the material into smaller particles or granules.

Where insulated wire is processed, the operation helps release insulation from the metal conductor.

4. Metal and Insulation Separation

Depending on the equipment, suitable physical separation methods can be used to remove plastic insulation and other unwanted material.

Separation may involve screening, air-based classification, density differences or other mechanical techniques.

5. Cleaning and Quality Control

The copper fraction is inspected and, where necessary, further processed to reduce contamination.

Finished material is evaluated against the buyer's purity and preparation requirements.

Important: Mechanical processing can remove many physical contaminants, but it cannot automatically transform alloyed or coated wire into No. 1 unalloyed copper.

Clove vs. Cobra vs. Cocoa Copper Wire Nodules

ReMA maintains three related copper-wire-nodule specifications. Their minimum copper content, allowable contamination and feedstock requirements differ.

All three grades describe processed copper-wire materials. They should not be combined or represented as equivalent unless the receiving buyer has agreed to the applicable specification.

What Are Cocoa Copper Wire Nodules?

Cocoa is another standardized copper-nodule grade containing at least 99% copper.

Unlike Clove, Cocoa defines specific maximum impurity percentages for several metals.

Under ReMA Cocoa, the maximum stated amounts are:

• Aluminum: 0.05%
• Tin: 0.25%
• Nickel: 0.05%
• Antimony: 0.01%
• Iron: 0.05%

Cocoa material must also be free of excessive insulation and other nonmetallic material.

The fact that Clove and Cocoa both require at least 99% copper does not make them identical. Their feedstock descriptions and contamination requirements differ.

For significant commercial shipments, buyers and sellers should agree on the correct code before material is dispatched.

#1 Copper Wire Nodules vs. Bare Bright Copper

Bare Bright Copper Wire and No. 1 Copper Wire Nodules are related premium copper materials, but they are sold in different physical forms.

Bare Bright Copper Wire

ReMA's Barley specification covers No. 1 bare, uncoated and unalloyed copper wire.

The material is sold as wire rather than as a finished granular product.

No. 1 Copper Wire Nodules

ReMA Clove describes qualifying No. 1 copper wire after chopping or shredding, with the specified purity and contamination requirements.

Chopping high-quality copper wire does not automatically guarantee that the output meets Clove. It still needs to satisfy the finished-material specification.

For a related price reference, see #1 Bare Bright Copper Scrap Prices.

Pricing note: Bare Bright prices are not automatically Clove prices. Each grade must be quoted according to its actual specification.

#1 Copper Wire Nodules vs. #1 Copper Wire

No. 1 Copper Wire is the wire-form material, while No. 1 Copper Wire Nodules are the processed product.

ReMA recognizes different No. 1 wire descriptions, including Barley and Berry.

For nodules sold under Clove, the specification specifically requires chopped or shredded No. 1 bare, uncoated and unalloyed wire.

The physical processing stage therefore matters, but so does the quality of the original copper.

Review the No. 1 Copper Wire Scrap Guide for the related wire-form specifications.

Can Insulated Copper Wire Produce Clove Nodules?

Insulated cable can be processed to recover copper granules. However, the presence of insulation in the starting material does not guarantee that the recovered copper will satisfy Clove.

The underlying conductors must be suitable No. 1 bare, uncoated and unalloyed copper once separated from the insulation.

The finished product must also be free of insulation and other specified contamination.

If the cable contains tin-plated conductors, aluminum strands, soldered sections or lower-grade copper, mechanical insulation removal alone will not eliminate those composition differences.

Best practice: Identify and segregate the conductor material before granulation whenever the intended finished product is Clove.

Can Clove Copper Nodules Contain Plastic Insulation?

Standard Clove material must be free of insulation.

Plastic or rubber particles remaining after wire granulation can affect the material's compliance with the specification.

Visible insulation also indicates that separation may be incomplete.

For commercial production, processors should verify that their granulation and separation systems consistently produce material suitable for the grade being sold.

Why Is Aluminum Contamination a Problem?

Aluminum and copper are both recyclable metals, but they are not interchangeable in high-purity copper feedstock.

Aluminum can enter a copper-nodule stream when mixed-metal cables, aluminum conductors or inadequately sorted materials are processed together.

Clove requires material to be free of aluminum.

Separating aluminum-bearing cables before chopping helps reduce the risk of contaminating an otherwise high-quality copper batch.

For a processor producing multiple metal grades, dedicated feedstock segregation and cleaning procedures between production runs may also be necessary.

Can Tinned or Soldered Copper Become #1 Nodules?

Tinned and soldered copper should not automatically be treated as Clove feedstock.

Tin, lead and other metallic impurities can remain in the recovered copper after mechanical chopping and granulation.

ReMA Clove requires material to be free of these contaminants.

Accordingly, known tinned, lead-bearing, soldered or otherwise coated wire should be separated before processing into a premium Clove product.

Material unsuitable for Clove may still be recyclable through another correctly identified copper grade or an appropriate refining process.

Why Does Feedstock Quality Matter So Much?

A wire granulator can separate physical materials, but the quality of its output is limited by the composition of the material fed into it.

If mixed wire contains copper, aluminum, steel, tinned conductors and other metals, a copper-looking granular output may still carry unwanted impurities.

For processors targeting Clove, effective quality control begins before the wire reaches the cutting equipment.

Useful controls include:

• Separating No. 1 wire from lower-grade copper
• Identifying tinned and plated conductors
• Removing aluminum and steel cable
• Excluding brass and other copper alloys
• Separating wire with soldered connections
• Inspecting the finished copper fraction
• Maintaining consistent material records

These steps help reduce the risk of a finished batch being downgraded or rejected because of contamination.

Can #1 Copper Wire Nodules Be Hydraulically Compacted?

Yes, subject to buyer-seller agreement.

ReMA's Clove specification identifies hydraulically compacted material as requiring agreement between the parties.

Compaction can change the handling, sampling and physical inspection of a shipment.

Some buyers may prefer loose nodules, while others may accept compacted material under agreed conditions.

Commercial recommendation: Confirm the acceptable physical form before compacting high-purity copper granules for sale.

How Are #1 Copper Wire Nodules Tested?

Buyers of commercial copper-nodule shipments may assess composition, physical condition and material consistency before acceptance.

The agreed procedure can include:

• Visual inspection for insulation or foreign material
• Checking for aluminum or other mixed-metal particles
• Reviewing the original feedstock and processing records
• Representative sampling
• Appropriate laboratory or analytical testing
• Confirming moisture and shipment condition
• Verifying that the material matches the contract specification

The appropriate test depends on the contaminant being investigated. Not every testing instrument can measure every impurity at the concentrations relevant to a purchasing specification.

Sampling methods, allowable variation and final acceptance criteria should be agreed upon for commercial shipments.

Common Sources of #1 Copper Wire Nodules Scrap

High-purity copper nodules are generally produced by businesses equipped to process copper wire into a finished scrap-metal product.

Potential generators include:

• Wire granulation facilities: Processing copper wire into separated copper and nonmetallic fractions
• Cable recyclers: Recovering copper from suitable electrical and communications cables
• Nonferrous scrap processors: Producing prepared copper grades for downstream buyers
• Wire manufacturers: Recycling suitable copper production offcuts through approved processing
• Industrial cable recovery operations: Processing surplus or retired electrical cables after material identification
• Specialized copper recovery facilities: Producing high-purity feedstock for refiners and secondary copper consumers

The source of the wire alone does not establish Clove quality. The finished nodules must meet the specified material requirements.

#1 Copper Wire Nodules Scrap Prices

No. 1 Copper Wire Nodules Scrap prices depend on copper-market conditions, accepted material purity, contamination, quantity, preparation, location and commercial purchasing terms.

High-purity nodules may be purchased under a dedicated Clove specification or another contractually agreed copper-granule category.

Factors That Affect Buying Prices

• Copper purity: Verified compliance with the required copper content
• Accepted specification: Clove versus Cocoa or another buyer-defined material
• Metallic impurities: Tin, aluminum, lead, zinc, iron and other contamination
• Nonmetallic contamination: Plastic insulation, dirt and other foreign material
• Material consistency: Uniformity of the finished copper fraction
• Wire feedstock: Conductor quality and applicable gauge requirements
• Physical form: Loose versus compacted nodules
• Moisture and condition: Shipment suitability and buyer requirements
• Quantity: Shipment size and supply consistency
• Market conditions: Copper-market prices and secondary-metal demand
• Location: Freight, handling and buyer availability
• Settlement: Sampling, testing, inspection and pricing terms

Available Copper Wire Nodules Scrap Prices

Review any material-specific price observations available below. Confirm that each record explicitly identifies No. 1 Copper Wire Nodules or the appropriate Clove-grade material.

Check its observation date, country, currency and price unit before comparison.

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For broader copper-market references, visit Copper Scrap Prices, #1 Copper Scrap Prices and Bare Bright Copper Scrap Prices.

These related categories are not direct Clove quotations and should not be presented as though they represent the same material.

Are Clove Copper Nodules Worth More Than Bare Bright?

There is no universal price difference between Clove nodules and Bare Bright copper wire.

Both are high-quality copper streams, but buyers may assess them differently because of their physical form, purity verification, preparation and downstream processing requirements.

Market conditions and freight can also affect the relative prices.

Compare actual quotations for the same location and commercial period, using the exact material specifications.

How to Improve #1 Copper Wire Nodule Value

For commercial processors, value preservation begins with producing a consistent grade rather than trying to improve the appearance of finished material.

1. Start with suitable wire: Use No. 1 bare, uncoated and unalloyed copper wire intended for Clove.
2. Separate other conductor metals: Keep aluminum and steel cable out of the processing stream.
3. Exclude coated wire: Identify tin, solder and other metallic coatings before granulation.
4. Remove insulation: Ensure the finished material meets the clean-nodule requirement.
5. Control mixed-metal contamination: Avoid introducing brass, zinc-bearing alloys and other foreign metal.
6. Keep batches consistent: Maintain clear identification of incoming feedstock and finished products.
7. Maintain separation equipment: Check processing effectiveness and remove accumulated foreign material.
8. Inspect the product: Evaluate purity and physical condition using appropriate quality-control methods.
9. Confirm fine-wire acceptance: Obtain agreement for material made from wire finer than No. 16 B&S gauge.
10. Confirm compaction requirements: Obtain agreement before hydraulically compacting Clove nodules.
11. Document shipments: Record weights, material identity, buyer specifications and available test results.

Safe Processing of Copper Wire Nodules

Copper-wire chopping and granulation involve industrial machinery with moving blades, rotating components and material-feed systems.

Workers may also be exposed to sharp wire, airborne particles, noise and mechanical handling hazards.

Processing facilities should address:

• Machine guarding
• Safe feeding and material handling
• Emergency stops and appropriate interlocks
• Hazardous-energy control during servicing
• Dust and housekeeping controls
• Eye, hand and other suitable protection
• Safe lifting and transportation of processed material

Applicable workplace safety requirements must be followed. In the United States, OSHA provides guidance for recycling machinery, machine guarding and hazardous-energy control.

Safety rule: Never reach into operating chopping or granulation machinery or bypass guards to clear a blockage. Servicing and maintenance must follow applicable safe-isolation procedures.

How Is #1 Copper Wire Nodules Scrap Recycled?

Qualifying high-purity copper nodules can be supplied to suitable secondary copper processors and refiners as recovered-metal feedstock.

Depending on the facility and product requirements, subsequent processing may include:

1. Receiving: Verifying the shipment description and weight
2. Sampling: Evaluating material composition and consistency
3. Quality assessment: Checking compliance with the accepted copper specification
4. Preparation: Addressing physical or contamination issues where necessary
5. Metallurgical processing: Recovering copper through suitable melting or refining operations
6. Composition control: Managing the chemistry of the recovered metal
7. Manufacturing: Using accepted copper feedstock in suitable new products

Not every processor accepts the same feedstock specification or uses the same metallurgical process.

The receiving facility determines whether Clove nodules are suitable for its intended downstream application.

Where Can You Sell #1 Copper Wire Nodules?

No. 1 Copper Wire Nodules may be purchased by specialist copper scrap buyers, nonferrous processors, copper refiners and secondary-metal companies.

However, not every local scrap yard maintains a dedicated Clove purchasing grade.

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RecyclingMonster's #1 Copper Wire Recycling Centers Directory is a related starting point for identifying copper-wire buyers.

For additional facilities, browse Metal Recycling Centers and Scrap Yards or use Recycle an Item.

Buyer verification: A facility listed as accepting No. 1 Copper Wire does not necessarily buy processed Clove nodules. Confirm the exact grade, accepted physical form, minimum shipment quantity and current commercial terms before delivery.

Selling Bulk #1 Copper Wire Nodules

Wire granulators, cable recyclers and industrial metal processors may generate large, regular quantities of high-purity copper nodules.

For commercial shipments, buyers and sellers should confirm:

• Accepted ReMA Clove specification
• Whether Cocoa or another nodule grade is accepted separately
• Minimum copper content
• Permitted metallic impurities
• Insulation and nonmetallic contamination requirements
• Feedstock wire-gauge conditions
• Loose or hydraulically compacted form
• Particle condition and consistency
• Moisture and packaging requirements
• Sampling and analytical testing methods
• Weight determination and inspection procedures
• Minimum and maximum shipment size
• Accepted containers or bulk transport methods
• Delivered versus collected pricing
• Freight and handling responsibilities
• Grade adjustments, rejection conditions and settlement terms

Consistent material specifications and documented quality checks can help reduce disputes over grade, contamination and final settlement.

Frequently Asked Questions About #1 Copper Wire Nodules

Material information and safety notice: No. 1 Copper Wire Nodules Scrap grading, copper purity, purchasing prices and recycler acceptance depend on the actual material, buyer specification, location and reporting date. ReMA Clove defines a minimum 99% copper-content grade and establishes additional contamination and preparation requirements. Safe industrial wire processing and applicable workplace safeguards remain essential. Final purchasing terms depend on the buyer-seller agreement.