Copper, Grade Information
New Copper Tube
Clean copper pipe with no paint, solder, or fittings, the highest-paying copper grade, prized for its exceptional purity and immediate recyclability.
Periodic Table Position
History & Interesting Facts
Copper pipe and tube have been central to plumbing and fluid transport for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians used copper pipe to construct complex water systems at temples and palaces, copper pipe sections from around 2500 BC have been excavated at the pyramid of Cheops. Roman engineers deployed lead and copper pipes extensively across their empire for aqueducts and bath houses. By the 19th century, the development of drawn copper tube manufacturing made copper the standard material for domestic hot and cold water systems across the industrialising world. British copper tube production peaked in the mid-20th century when virtually every new-build home was plumbed with copper. Its antimicrobial properties, copper naturally kills bacteria, have been valued in medical and food processing facilities for centuries, a quality now being scientifically validated.
Historical Uses
New or bright copper tube has historically been the highest-value grade of copper because of its cleanliness and high copper content. Ancient civilisations used copper pipe for fresh water supply systems and sacred ablution rituals. Roman bath complexes relied on copper pipe networks for their hot water circulation systems. Through the 18th and 19th centuries, copper tubing was essential in distillery operations, chemical plants, and early steam engineering. In the 20th century, the UK plumbing industry standardised on British Standard copper tube sizes (15mm, 22mm, 28mm, 35mm, 42mm, 54mm) for domestic and commercial installations. The material's combination of corrosion resistance, ease of working, and long service life made it the universal choice for hot and cold water supply, central heating, and gas pipework.
Current Uses
New copper tube remains the dominant material for domestic plumbing in the UK, used in hot and cold water supply, central heating systems, and underfloor heating manifolds. Commercial buildings rely on larger diameter copper tube for hot water distribution, chiller systems, and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) pipework. Refrigeration and air conditioning systems use thin-walled copper tube for refrigerant circuits. Medical gas systems in hospitals, oxygen, nitrous oxide, and compressed air, use high-specification copper tube because of its cleanliness and reliability. The food processing and brewery industries use copper tube in heat exchangers and product transfer lines. In the UK, plumbers and heating engineers generate significant quantities of new copper tube offcuts on virtually every job, these offcuts represent some of the cleanest, most valuable scrap copper available.
Future Possible Uses
Despite competition from plastic pipe systems (particularly cross-linked polyethylene, PEX), copper tube retains strong future demand prospects. Growing awareness of the antimicrobial and health advantages of copper over plastic in water supply systems is driving renewed specification of copper in healthcare and education buildings. As the UK retrofits millions of homes for heat pump technology, copper tube will be central to the underfloor heating circuits and buffer tank connections required. District heating networks, which the government is backing as a low-carbon heating solution for urban areas, use large-diameter copper and copper-alloy tube extensively. The circular economy value of copper tube is also an advantage: its near-100% recyclability with minimal energy loss makes it a material that retains value across multiple lives.
Where Does This Scrap Come From?
New copper tube offcuts arise wherever plumbing, heating, and HVAC work is carried out. Plumbing contractors generate offcuts on every new installation and refurbishment. Heating engineers replacing old boilers and pipework often remove entire central heating systems. Commercial fit-out contractors produce large volumes during the plumbing-out of offices, hotels, and retail premises. Demolition companies stripping buildings before refurbishment or demolition are a significant source. Merchants and distributors occasionally have slow-moving stock or damaged lengths. The grade is defined by cleanliness: no paint, no solder, no brass or copper fittings attached, and no significant contamination. Even light oxidation or tarnishing does not generally down-grade new copper tube provided the metal beneath is clean and intact.
How Is It Remanufactured?
New copper tube scrap is among the most straightforward copper inputs for recyclers. After collection and weighing at a scrap yard, baled or bundled tube is transported to a copper smelter. Because the material is already very high purity copper (typically 99.5% Cu or above), the smelting process is efficient and the yield loss is low. The copper is melted in a shaft or rotary furnace at around 1,085°C. Flux is added to help float off any minor contamination. The molten copper is cast into anode plates, then electrolytically refined to produce 99.99% pure cathode copper. Cathode is subsequently cast into copper rod at rod mills, which draw it into wire or extrude it into new tube. The full cycle from scrap delivery to new product can take as little as two to three weeks in a modern, integrated copper recycling facility.
5-Year Price Trend & Forecast
New copper tube scrap prices closely track the LME copper price, typically paying 80–90% of the LME cash price at a reputable scrap yard. Over 2021–2026, LME copper moved from around $6,500/tonne to a record $13,842/tonne in January 2026, before settling back. In UK pound terms, the copper price has been supported by sterling weakness relative to the dollar, boosting what UK scrap yards can offer. In 2022 the LME copper price peaked then fell sharply on recession fears. Recovery through 2023–2024 was driven by electrification demand. Goldman Sachs forecasts the LME copper price at around $10,700 for mid-2026, with a long-term upward trend to $15,000/tonne by 2035 as EV and grid demand structurally outpaces mine supply. New copper tube is one of the best-paid grades at the scrap yard.
Note: All scrap yard prices paid by QuickStop Metals are calculated as a percentage of the prevailing LME or spot market price, updated daily. Check today's prices →
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