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Copper Wire Scrap Price in Melbourne
Cable isn’t priced by what it weighs. It’s priced by how much copper comes out of it, and that one idea explains most of what’s confusing about copper wire scrap price in Melbourne. Two rolls of cable can look the same and still pay very differently, because one is mostly conductor and the other is mostly plastic: a drum of heavy mains cable might be 70% copper by weight, while a tangle of phone cable is almost all insulation. At Johnny Metal Recycling, bare bright copper gets our best rate, heavy insulated cable comes next, and house wire pays the least.
Prices move with the copper market, so what you get on the day depends on the grade you bring in. Call JMR on 0449 894 456 for today’s price, or send a photo and a rough weight and we’ll get a quote back to you the same day. Below, you’ll find what each type is worth, how to tell which one you’re holding, and whether stripping it yourself is worth your afternoon.
Today's copper wire and cable scrap prices in Melbourne
Cable scrap prices in Melbourne split by copper content rather than by the look of the roll. Here’s where each type lands.
| Type | Copper content | JMR rate per kg |
| Bare bright copper wire | 100% | $10.50 – $12.50 |
| Heavy mains and industrial cable | 50 – 70% | $4.00 – $7.00 |
| TPS house wire and light insulated | roughly ⅓ – ½ | $2.50 – $4.00 |
| Thin flex, data and phone cable | low | quoted on assessment |
Rates are subject to daily market changes. Johnny Metal Recycling sets every copper wire scrap price in Melbourne against the copper market on the morning you sell, so ring JMR for a firm figure on your load.
Why cable is priced on recovery, not weight?
When a yard quotes a copper wire scrap price, it’s estimating one thing: how many kilos of clean copper are left after the insulation comes off.
Heavy mains and industrial cable is often 50 to 70% copper by weight. Thick conductor, proportionally less sheath. This is the good stuff.
Standard TPS building cable runs roughly a third to a half copper. It’s what’s in most Australian house walls, and it’s the most common cable through the yard.
Thin flex, data and phone cable is mostly insulation with a small conductor inside. It still has value, but the copper cable scrap price on it reflects how little copper actually comes out.
That ratio is the whole game. It’s why a light-looking drum of mains cable can beat a heavy-looking pile of phone cable, and why anyone giving you a copper wire scrap price in Melbourne without asking what type it is isn’t really quoting.
Copper cable scrap price per kg, by type
Bare bright copper wire
Clean, uninsulated copper conductor with no oxidation, solder or coating. The top copper wire scrap price JMR pays, and the benchmark everything else is measured against. If you’ve stripped cable yourself, this is what you’ve produced.
Heavy mains and industrial cable
Thick-conductor mains cable, industrial supply, welding lead, submersible pump cable. High copper content and the best cable scrap prices JMR pays on anything insulated. Worth separating from your general cable pile.
TPS and house wire
Standard building cable out of domestic and commercial rewires. It is the most common material through the yard, the copper wire scrap price most people are really asking about, and what they mean when they ask about insulated copper wire prices in Melbourne.
Light flex and appliance leads
Extension leads, appliance cords, light-duty flex. Thin conductor, thick sheath, so the scrap copper wire price here sits toward the bottom. Bring it in with a bigger load rather than on its own.
Data, phone and coax
Cat5, Cat6, phone cable, coaxial. Low copper content and often a steel or aluminium element in the mix. JMR takes it, priced on assessment, and it’s worth doing rather than binning a comms strip-out.
Automotive looms
Vehicle wiring harnesses. Decent copper but heavily bundled with plastic connectors, clips and tape, so the copper wire scrap price is set on assessment.
Aluminium-cored cable
Some older mains and overhead cables are aluminium rather than copper. It still has value, just on the aluminium scale rather than the copper one. If a conductor looks silver rather than reddish, mention it — it changes the quote.
Should you strip it yourself?
The most common question we get, and the honest answer is: it depends on the cable, and for a lot of it, no.
Our electric cable recycling guide works the numbers properly. The short version:
Take 10kg of TPS house wire. Sold as-is at $4 to $6 a kilo, that’s $40 to $60. Strip it, and you’ll recover maybe 4 to 5kg of bare copper, worth $42 to $62. You’ve spent roughly two hours to break even. Not worth it.
Now take heavy mains cable at 60% recovery. Ten kilos gives you about 6kg of bare copper, worth $63 to $75, against $40 to $70 sold whole. That one pays.
So the rule is simple: strip heavy cable, sell light cable whole. A mechanical stripper changes that maths considerably by cutting the labour, so if you’re an electrician handling cable regularly, one pays for itself.
And whatever you do, don’t burn it. Burning cable is illegal, it’s dangerous, it downgrades the copper, and Johnny Metal Recycling won’t buy burnt cable. Strip it properly or bring it in as it is.
What costs you money on a cable load?
Mixing cable types in one bin. A drum with mains cable and phone cable together gets the copper wire scrap price of the weakest thing in it, and that’s the most expensive mistake on the list.
Why sell your cable to Johnny Metal Recycling?
Graded in front of you. Cable grading is where customers get quietly short-changed elsewhere. If JMR is calling something light insulated rather than heavy, we’ll show you the conductor and explain why.
Weighed in front of you. Verified digital scales, every load, while you watch.
Live copper rates. JMR sets the copper wire scrap price in Melbourne against the copper market on the day you sell, not off a board printed months ago.
Stripped or unstripped. Johnny Metal Recycling quotes a copper wire scrap price either way and will tell you honestly which is better for what you’ve got.
Paid the same day. Bank transfer or cheque, no waiting on invoices.
No hidden fees. No handling charge, no processing deduction. The quote is the payment.
Free pickup over 500kg, anywhere in Melbourne, seven days a week with no weekend surcharge.
Over six years, licensed. JMR has been buying scrap copper wire in Melbourne for more than six years as a licensed buyer operating under Victorian regulations.
Wire and cable we buy at JMR
Bare bright copper wire · single and multi-core copper cable · heavy mains and industrial cable · TPS building cable · PVC-insulated wire and cable · rubber-insulated cable · welding lead · submersible and pump cable · data and comms cable · coaxial · phone cable · extension leads and appliance flex · automotive looms · aluminium-cored wiring · armoured cable · offcuts and drum ends.
Johnny Metal Recycling quotes cable scrap prices in Melbourne on any condition and any quantity. No minimum if you’re dropping off at the Braeside yard. Free pickup on loads over 500kg.
Full material detail is on our electric wire and cable and insulated wire scrap pages.
How JMR weighs and pays
Every load is weighed on site on verified digital scales while you watch, and the cable type is confirmed with you before a copper wire scrap price is set.
Payment is the same day by bank transfer or cheque. Johnny Metal Recycling doesn’t pay cash — Victoria tightened the rules on cash in the scrap trade back in 2018 and JMR has worked for them since. No deductions afterwards, no hidden fees.
Electrical cable recycling across Melbourne
Johnny Metal Recycling handles electrical cable recycling Melbourne-wide from our Braeside yard, covering the south-east and bayside, the eastern and northern corridors, and out west. Pickup runs seven days a week with no weekend surcharge, usually within one to two business days.
Copper wire scrap prices hold up the way they do because copper recovered from cable goes back into new wire more or less indefinitely without losing quality. Given where copper sits at the moment, the drum of old TPS in the corner of the van is worth considerably more than most people assume.
Get today's copper wire scrap price
Want to sell copper wire scrap today? Ring Johnny Metal Recycling on 0449 894 456 and tell us the cable type, roughly how much, and whether it’s stripped. You’ll have today’s copper wire scrap price in Melbourne in a couple of minutes.
Not sure what type you’ve got? Describe the conductor — thick or thin, reddish or silver — and JMR will work it out with you. Or send photos and an estimated weight through the contact form and we’ll come back with a quote and a collection time.
Why Choose Us?
With over 6 years of experience, we are trusted scrap car buyers in Melbourne, offering competitive cash for old cars Melbourne residents rely on. Our team specialises in car removal and car recycling Melbourne, ensuring unwanted and scrap vehicles are removed safely and recycled responsibly to support a cleaner and more sustainable future.
Competitive Prices
Get the best competitive prices for your aluminium scrap, maximizing your earnings with every sale.
Pay On-spot
Receive immediate payment on-spot for your aluminium scrap—fast, hassle-free, and reliable service.
Sustainable Recycling
When you recycle with JMR, you’re making an eco-friendly choice that helps preserve our planet.
Earn Money For Scrap
Turn your aluminium scrap into cash quickly and easily, helping both you and the planet.
Guaranteed Service
Experience guaranteed service with our dedicated team committed to efficient, reliable recycling solutions.
Precise Weighing On-Site
Precise on-site weighing ensures you’re paid accurately and fairly for every scrap of aluminium.
Frequently asked questions
What is the copper cable scrap price per kg?
$4.00–$7.00/kg. TPS house wire at roughly a third to a half pays $2.50–$4.00/kg. Bare stripped copper sits at $10.50–$12.50/kg.
Should I strip my cable before selling it?
Strip heavy cable, sell light cable whole. Ten kilos of TPS takes about two hours to strip and only breaks even. The same weight of heavy mains cable recovers around 6kg of bare copper and is clearly worth doing.
Do you buy burnt cable?
No. Burning cable is illegal and dangerous, and it downgrades the copper. Bring it whole or stripped and you’ll do far better.
What are insulated copper wire prices in Melbourne based on?
Recoverable copper, not gross weight. The thicker the conductor relative to the insulation, the higher the rate. That’s why mains cable outperforms flex by a wide margin.
Do you take data, phone and coax cable?
Yes, priced on assessment. Copper content is low, but a comms strip-out still adds up and it’s better than binning it.
What if my cable is aluminium rather than copper?
JMR still buys it, just on the aluminium scale. If the conductor looks silver rather than reddish, mention it when you call so the quote is right the first time.
Is there a minimum quantity to sell copper wire scrap in Melbourne?
No minimum if you’re dropping off at the Braeside yard. Free pickup applies on loads over 500kg, seven days a week with no weekend surcharge.