Future of copper, brass, and aluminum?

[billjustbill]

I read an article projecting the world economies slowing down to the point that China's past metal demands would be very low as their economy is facing a bubble bursting.... With their own internal troubles, scrap prices are projected to go way low by 2013....

What price trends are you seeing in copper, brass, and aluminum?

Are you keeping yours or selling most of what you have before the year ends?

[hobo finds]

Selling as fast as I can as the prices are going down, take the money while it's there!

[SEANO]

I'm hording and waiting, unless my garage fills up. Everyone's devaluing their currencies (printing money) across the globe. That will translate into inflation and higher commodities...someday. The only problem is when. I'll sell some here and there as needed.

[clovis97]

Here is my two cents, and I prefer copper pennies over the zinc ones:

If the in bubble in China bursts, and I think that it will, it will have a devastating effect on metals.

At the same time, if you've read much about copper, you know that there is a constricting supply of copper ore globally. The easy ore has already been mined, so mining firms are having to work harder to get what they can, and are paying astronomical amounts for any promising mining ventures.

As well, I do not think that fuel prices are ever going to drop. The days of cheap energy and fuel are long gone. Since copper mining and smelting are energy intensive, copper prices will remain high in the long term.

[SEANO]

Is the red metal headed higher?
But since investing is about the future, and rearview mirrors mean very little, it's clearly significant that Timothy Parker, a natural resource portfolio manager at T. Rowe Price Group, expects the red metal's prices to exceed $4 per pound during 2012, up from $3.36 on Monday. His rationale? He believes that, with its destocking slowing, demand from China will return to at least semi-voracious levels.

[MRBeyer]

I see the increase as a result of inflation, not supply and demand. We took an economy hit and our inflation is increasing. Europe is still getting slammed financially with inflation increasing. Japan is still hurting from their woes and have reported high inflation. China is sitting on a currency manipulation bubble, housing price bubble, and overproduction. Their bubble bursting will be greater than ours has been. Once their manufacturing prices skyrocket their employment will drop and inflation will increase. This will impact the world and ultimately force many countries, ourselves included, to reopen plants and mines. This is a good thing and a bad thing. Cheap products will be a thing of the past. Also, the stabilizing influence on our economy of low priced goods from other more stable countries will be gone. If we are not ready and stable when this occurs, it may collapse our economy before we can adapt. However, our unemployment will drop, high quality products will be made in our country again, jobs that moved overseas will return. In every past crisis (financial and wartime) our country has come out of it stronger than before. I hope this time is no different.

[billjustbill]

I'm getting ready to take some scrap to the yard that's 30 miles West of Ft. Worth, Tx.
I have some odd tubing that is aluminum tubing on the outside and has galvanized steel tubing running inside. Never saw this before. It's from several pieces of older patio furniture. Is it worth keeping for some future outdoor projects or should I sell it for .10 lb?


Are these prices average ? Current prices they quoted:

Mixed steel: .10 lb.
Extruded painted aluminum: .58
Die Cast aluminum/zinc/: .30
Flat aluminum plate: thin: .35 thicker: .45lb
Yellow brass: 1.90
Red brass 2.20
#1 copper: $3.15
#2 copper: $3.00

[hobo finds]

those prices are good. the alum with the steel would be dirty alum. price by me .25 to .30 a lb for it. Make sure to keep it seperate from your other clean alum when you turn it in

Just got .10 a pound for steel
Paint alum .55 lb (Dec)
Die cast .15 lb (Dec)
Alum MLC .60 lb (Nov)
Yellow brass 1.75 lb (Dec)
#1 Cu $3.35 lb (June)
#2 Cu 2.60 lb (Dec)

[billjustbill]

those prices are good. the alum with the steel would be dirty alum. price by me .25 to .30 a lb for it.

Thanks for the information! So, I would just say here's some "dirty aluminum"? After weighing one of the four long lounges, there's a total of about 48 lbs in them.

I was wondering what "Alum MLC" is?

[hobo finds]

yep! Alum MLC is Mixed Low Copper Aluminum shall consist of clean, uncoated aluminum plate, may include clips or punchings

[hobo finds]

2011 Average Alum prices by me in So. AZ

Dirty / Furnace Alum .30 lb
Paint Alum .62 lb
Cast Alum .62 lb
MLC Alum .64 lb
Ext Alum .68 lb
Alum Rims .75 lb
Alum Cans UBC .73 lb
Alu/Cu Raidator/Coils 1.35 lb