Mill Prepared Steel Scrap
Mill prepared steel scrap can be referred to as scrap obtained from steel mills. Also known as “home” scrap, mill scrap is the leftover pieces of steel from steel making and defective or rejected products that were collected and recycled into new steel right at the mill. However advancements in technology, such as continuous casting and BOF (Basic Oxygen Furnace), have improved the quality and efficiency and considerably reduced the quantity of steel scrap generated in the mill.
Mill Prepared Steel ScrapMill Prepared Steel Scrap
Nowadays, steel mills are dependent upon outside sources of steel scrap, which include manufacturing scrap and post consumer scrap. Manufacturing scrap is created during the production of steel products. For example, this scrap includes, trimmed or punched out pieces of steel sheet from an appliance manufacturer or a can making process. This type of scrap is generally recovered from the manufacturer by a ferrous scrap processor for preparation for recycling.
Types / Grades
Different types / grades of mill prepared steel scrap are used to recover pure metal. Some of the common grades of mill prepared steel that are recycled to recover pure steel are given in the table below –
Grades Details
Bundled Steel Can Scrap This grade consist of compressed assorted flattened or whole steel cans with a minimum weight density of 75 lb./cubic foot. This material is usually generated from food cans from municipal recycling programs. It may contain bi-metal beverage cans.
E.C. Briquettes It comprises of compressed oil filters with a minimum weight density of 75 lb./cubic foot.
No.1 Steel (3 foot) It include clean iron & steel with a minimum thickness of 1/4″, and a maximum size of 36″x18″.
No.1 Steel (2 foot) It include clean iron & steel with a minimum thickness of 1/4″, and a maximum size of 24″x18″.
No.1 Steel (1 foot) It includes clean iron & steel with a minimum thickness of 1/4″, and a maximum size of 12″x12″.
Special Plate Punchings It include clean, dry, uniform plate punchings suitable for ballast material or high density furnaces charging. The material should be free flowing with no piece greater than 2″ in any direction and a minimum of 1/4″ in any direction. It can be of any shape furnished, that there are no protruding edges.
No.2 Steel (3 foot) It comprises of clean iron & steel with a minimum thickness of 1/8″, and a maximum size of 36″x18″.
No.2 Steel (2 foot) It include clean iron & steel with a minimum thickness of 1/8″, and a maximum size of 24″x18″, material handling compatible to feed a furnace charge box.
No.2 Steel (1 foot) No.2 Steel (1 foot) shall consist of clean iron & steel with a minimum thickness of 1/8″, and a maximum size of 12″x12″, material handling compatible to feed a furnace charge box.
No.3 Steel (Prepared Bushling) No.3 Steel (Prepared Bushling) shall consist of clean, uncoated free flowing steel clippings, stappings & sheet skeletons under 1/8″ thick and not exceeding 12″ length or width.
No.4 Steel (Prepared Silicon Bushling) No.4 Steel (Prepared Silicon Bushling) shall consist of clean silicon bearing steel scrap with a maximum thickness of 1/8″ and a maximum size of 12″ in length or width.
No.4 Steel (Bundled Silicon Bushling) No.4 Steel (Bundled Silicon Bushling) shall consist of clean silicon bearing steel scrap with a maximum thickness of 1/8″, compressed into bundles, with a minimum weight density of 75 lb. /cubic foot.
No.1 Shredded Steel No.1 Shredded Steel shall consist of fresh shredded clean, bushling & shredder clips, suitable as charge stock for coreless induction melting with a minimum weight density of 50 lb./cubic foot.
No.2 Shredded Steel No.2 Shredded Steel shall consist of fresh shredded steel scrap with a minimum weight density of 50 lb./cubic foot. This material is typically generated from an auto shredder operation and shall be uniform, free flowing steel shred that has been magnetically separated.
No.3 Shredded Steel No.3 Shredded Steel shall consist of fresh shredded steel scrap with a minimum weight density of 50 lb./cubic foot. This material is typically generated from a metal shredding operation and shall be uniform, free flowing steel shred that has been magnetically separated. This material may be generated by shredding sheet/tin & white goods.
No.1 Bundles No.1 Bundles shall consist of clean steel compressed into chargeage bundles with a minimum weight density of 75 lb./cubic foot. This grade would typically contain baled bushling.
No.2 Bundles No.2 Bundles shall consist of clean steel compressed into chargeage bundles with a minimum weight density of 75 lb./cubic foot. This grade may contain galvanized sheet & old metal auto body parts.
No.3 Bundles No.3 Bundles shall consist of steel compressed into chargeage bundles with a minimum weight density of 75 lb./cubic foot. This grade may contain coated steel & baled white goods.
Sorted Machine Cast Sorted Machine Cast shall consist of sorted broken or unbroken cast iron machinery scrap, not to exceed 18″x18″
Sorted Automotive Cast Sorted Automotive Cast shall consist of sorted broken or unbroken cast iron automotive scrap, not to exceed 18″x18″
Crushed Motor Block Crushed Motor Block shall consist of broken cast iron motor blocks not to exceed 18″ in any direction. Must be free of foreign materials & other non-ferrous metals.
Whole Prepared Car Bodies Whole Prepared Car Bodies shall consist of unflattened car bodies, with tires, radiator and battery removed, gas tanks acceptable but must be removed and punctured, (no propane tanks allowed). Engine and transmission may or may not be included.
Flattened Car Bodies Flattened Car Bodies shall consist of prepared car bodies that have been flattened & stacked for transportation as auto shredder feedstock.
Tires, radiator and battery removed, gas tanks acceptable but must be removed and punctured, (no propane tanks allowed). Engine and transmission must be removed.
Green Car Bodies Green” Car Bodies shall consist of stripped car hulks that have dismantled through a “Green” Auto Recycling System.
The “Green” Car Body shall have most of the manually strippable non-metallic parts removed, including, windows, seats, interior & trunk carpet, head & tail lights, external non-metal body parts, internal dash parts. Fluids reduced or removed.
Mixed Turnings & Borings Mixed Turnings & Borings shall consist of assorted cast iron or steel turnings, borings or grindings.
Short Shovelling Borings Short Shoveling Borings and Turnings shall consist of clean free flowing cast iron borings or steel turnings. Must be free of fluffy, tangled, springy turnings and free of lumps or clumps.
Briquetted Turnings & Borings Briquetted Turnings & Borings shall consist of clean uniform compressed cast iron or steel turnings. May include hot or cold Briquetted materials.
Manganese Steel Scrap Manganese Steel Scrap shall consist of non-magnetic manganese/steel alloy materials. May include Manganese Grinder Plates.
Other Steel Mill Scrap Other Steel Mill Scrap shall include other mill ready, prepared iron & steel scrap not included in the listed Steel Mill Scrap grades.
Mill Prepared Steel Scrap – Industry Associations
Canadian Association of Recycling Industries (CARI)
Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI)
Southeast Recycling Development Council, Inc. (SERDC)
Steel Recycling Institute
Mill Prepared Steel Scrap – Publications
American Metal Market
Recycling International Magazine
Scrap (Magazine)