Brass Turning (clean) Scrap Price

Old Zinc Die Cast Scrap consists of used or obsolete zinc-base die castings recovered from automotive components, hardware, machinery, electrical equipment and other end-of-life products.

Unlike clean New Zinc Die Cast Scrap, old material may contain iron and other foreign attachments. Its scrap value therefore depends heavily on recoverable zinc content, contamination, preparation and the receiving buyer's grading requirements.

What Is Old Zinc Die Cast Scrap?

Under current ReMA specifications, Saves / Old Zinc Die Cast Scrap consists of miscellaneous old zinc-base die castings, with or without iron and other foreign attachments.

The specification can also include zinc dies or molds used for shoes and other industrial purposes.

Material containing more than 30% iron does not constitute good delivery under the standard Saves specification.

What Is Allowed in ReMA Saves Old Zinc Die Cast?

Qualifying material can include:

• Used zinc-base die castings
• Obsolete zinc die-cast components
• Castings with some iron attachments
• Castings with other foreign attachments
• Zinc dies and molds used for industrial purposes

Foreign attachments are not necessarily prohibited, but they are deductible and can reduce the payable value of the load.

What Is Not Allowed in Old Zinc Die Cast Scrap?

ReMA's Saves specification excludes:

• Borings
• Turnings
• Dross pieces
• Chunks of melted zinc
• Skimmings

Unmeltable material, dirt, foreign attachments and volatile substances such as rubber, cork, plastic and grease are also subject to deduction.

Loads containing more than 30% iron fall outside the standard good-delivery requirement.

Old Zinc Die Cast vs. New Zinc Die Cast Scrap

New Zinc Die Cast Scrap consists of new or unused, clean zinc-base die castings that are unplated, unpainted and free from corrosion.

Old Zinc Die Cast Scrap consists of used or obsolete castings and may contain iron or other attachments within the applicable specification.

The old grade therefore tends to require more sorting and may contain more deductions than clean production scrap.

However, there is no permanent market rule that New Zinc Die Cast will always receive a specific premium over Old Zinc Die Cast. Actual prices depend on recoverable metal, contamination, location and buyer demand.

Old Zinc Die Cast vs. Old Scrap Zinc

Old Zinc Die Cast and Old Scrap Zinc are separate ReMA categories.

Saves / Old Zinc Die Cast Scrap covers old zinc-base die castings.

Score / Old Scrap Zinc covers clean, dry scrap zinc such as sheets, jar lids, clean unalloyed castings and anti-corrosion plates.

Sellers should not combine these grades simply because zinc is the primary metal.

What Types of Alloys Are Found in Old Zinc Die Cast?

Old zinc die-cast parts can be made from several zinc-alloy families.

Common examples include:

• ZAMAK 3: A widely used general-purpose zinc die-casting alloy.
• ZAMAK 5: A zinc alloy containing additional copper for increased strength and hardness.
• ZAMAK 2: A higher-copper zinc alloy with greater hardness and strength.
• ZAMAK 7: A high-purity alloy designed for improved fluidity and surface finish.
• ZA Alloys: Higher-aluminum zinc alloys such as ZA-8, ZA-12 and ZA-27.

Because these alloys contain different amounts of aluminum, copper and magnesium, exact chemistry may matter to downstream processors and secondary alloy producers.

Common Sources of Old Zinc Die Cast Scrap

Old Zinc Die Cast Scrap can be recovered from a wide range of end-of-life products.

Common sources include:

• Automotive hardware and components
• Door handles and lock hardware
• Window and cabinet hardware
• Electrical housings and connectors
• Industrial machinery components
• Gear housings and mechanical parts
• Appliance components
• Consumer products
• Decorative hardware
• Industrial zinc dies and molds

How Can You Identify Zinc Die Cast?

Zinc die-cast components are generally dense for their size and are often manufactured with smooth surfaces, fine details and complex molded shapes.

Common clues include:

• Relatively heavy feel compared with many aluminum castings
• Detailed die-cast shape
• Smooth molded surfaces
• Little or no magnetic response from the zinc alloy itself
• Possible steel inserts or fasteners that respond to a magnet

Appearance alone cannot confirm the exact alloy. Industrial processors may use source information, documentation or analytical equipment where precise chemistry matters.

Is Old Zinc Die Cast Magnetic?

The zinc alloy itself is generally non-magnetic.

However, the ReMA Saves grade allows iron and other foreign attachments within limits, so an old zinc die-cast component may show a magnetic response from screws, inserts, shafts, brackets or other attached steel.

A magnet can therefore help identify iron contamination but cannot determine the zinc-alloy grade by itself.

Why Does the 30% Iron Limit Matter?

Iron attachments reduce the proportion of recoverable zinc in the shipment.

Under the ReMA Saves specification, material containing more than 30% iron does not qualify as good delivery.

Even below that threshold, actual iron and other foreign material can be subject to deduction.

Removing large or easily detachable iron components may improve the payable zinc content when the added labor is economically worthwhile.

Should Iron Attachments Be Removed?

Not always.

ReMA permits Old Zinc Die Cast with iron attachments, provided the material remains within the specification. The buyer may simply deduct the weight or value associated with foreign material.

For commercial quantities, compare the buyer's price and deduction policy before spending substantial labor removing attachments.

What About Painted or Plated Old Zinc Die Cast?

The standard Saves specification does not impose the same explicit unpainted and unplated requirement used for New Zinc Die Cast Scrap.

However, coatings, paint and attached foreign materials can affect recovery and may result in deductions or a different commercial grade.

Ask the receiving processor how plated, painted or heavily coated old castings will be classified.

Can Old Zinc Die Cast Be Recycled?

Yes. Zinc die-casting alloys can be remelted and reused when they are properly sorted and processed.

Recycling processors remove or account for iron, plastics, rubber and other attached materials before recovered zinc-bearing material moves into secondary zinc or zinc-alloy production.

Maintaining cleaner, better-sorted loads improves the ability of downstream producers to control alloy chemistry.

Old Zinc Die Cast vs. Aluminum Die Cast

Zinc and aluminum die castings can sometimes look similar, but they differ significantly in density and scrap value.

Zinc die cast is generally noticeably heavier than an aluminum part of similar size.

Both are usually non-magnetic, so magnet testing alone cannot distinguish them.

For mixed industrial loads, source documentation or alloy-analysis equipment may be needed for reliable separation.

What Affects Old Zinc Die Cast Scrap Prices?

Old Zinc Die Cast Scrap prices depend on recoverable zinc content, iron attachments, other contamination, alloy mix, quantity, location and buyer requirements.

Zinc-market conditions can influence buying prices, but complete castings may also carry deductions for iron, plastic, rubber, grease and other non-zinc material.

RecyclingMonster currently tracks Zinc Die Cast Scrap Prices and broader Zinc Scrap Prices.

Because dedicated Old Zinc Die Cast observations may be less current than broader Zinc Die Cast and Zinc Scrap records, always check the exact material name, location and last-updated date before comparing prices.

Is Old Zinc Die Cast Worth Less Than New Zinc Die Cast?

Old Zinc Die Cast can contain more attachments, contamination and mixed material than clean new production scrap, which can result in deductions or different grading.

However, sellers should not assume a fixed discount.

Actual prices depend on recoverable zinc, iron content, market conditions and each buyer's processing economics.

How to Maximize Old Zinc Die Cast Scrap Value

• Keep Old Zinc Die Cast separate from New Zinc Die Cast.
• Keep zinc die cast separate from aluminum and magnesium castings.
• Remove large iron or steel attachments when economically practical.
• Keep excessive rubber, plastic, cork, grease and other foreign material out of the load.
• Do not mix borings, turnings, dross, skimmings or melted pieces into Saves material.
• Keep known alloy streams separate when requested by the buyer.
• Confirm iron-deduction policies before preparing a large load.
• Check current price dates rather than relying on legacy zinc quotes.

Where Can You Sell Old Zinc Die Cast Scrap?

Old Zinc Die Cast is purchased by nonferrous scrap processors, zinc recyclers and metal recycling centers that handle zinc-base alloys.

RecyclingMonster maintains a dedicated Die Cast/Zinc Recycling Centers directory for facilities that specifically identify zinc die cast among the materials they accept.

You can also use the broader Metal Recycling Center Directory or RecyclingMonster's Recycle an Item search to locate additional zinc buyers.

Have Large Quantities of Old Zinc Die Cast?

Auto recyclers, appliance processors, demolition companies, industrial maintenance operations and equipment dismantlers can generate significant quantities of Old Zinc Die Cast Scrap.

For bulk loads, ask prospective buyers about:

• Maximum allowable iron content
• Iron and foreign-material deductions
• Painted or plated material
• Alloy segregation
• Container or gaylord service
• Pickup arrangements
• Minimum quantities
• Delivered-versus-pickup pricing

Separating zinc die cast from aluminum, steel and unrelated scrap before pickup can reduce downstream sorting and improve grading accuracy.