Reusing metal to save the planet

Aluminium

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Copper is 100% recyclable without any loss of quality whether in a raw state or contained in a manufactured product. Copper is the third most recycled metal after iron and aluminium. It is estimated that 80% of the copper ever mined is still in use today. Common grades of copper for recycling are:

• Bare bright - very clean and pure copper wire usually 12 AWG or larger that has insulation and any tarnish removed
• #1 copper - pipe with a new appearance and free of any foreign material
• #2 copper - pipe with corrosion or foreign material and small gauge wire with no insulation
• Insulated wire is also commonly recycled once the insulation is stripped off.

High purity copper scrap is directly melted in a furnace and the molten copper is deoxidized and cast into billets, or ingots. Lower purity scrap is usually refined to attain the desired purity level by an electroplating process in which the copper scrap is dissolved into a bath of sulfuric acid and then electroplated out of the solution.

Source: Wikipedia