Secondary scrap aluminum smelting

Of recycled, or secondary copper, 56% is derived from new scrap, while 44% comes from old scrap. Domestically, the secondary copper smelting industry is led by four producers. Like the secondary aluminum industry, these producers buy the scrap they recycle on the open market, in addition to using scrap generated in their own downstream productions. The secondary copper industry is concentrated in Georgia, South Carolina, Illinois, and Missouri. 

The unwanted automobile is collected by the scrap dealer, partially disassembled by a recycler (e.g., lead battery, aluminum rims, radiator, variety of parts), and is then reduced in size by a shredder. Steel and nonferrous metals are sent to secondary smelting plants, while nonmetallic components are further processed. The lead battery... 

Global aluminum production in 2009 was 45 Mio. tonnes. The majority (37 Mt) was primary aluminum produced by processing bauxite to alumina and smelting and reducing the alumina to aluminum 8 Mt was secondary aluminum recovered from scrap generated in aluminum production and old or post-consumer scrap (GDA, 2011). Table 6.19.11 shows the global production of aluminum and also of some other selected metals in 2008. 

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