90/10 Copper-Nickel Scrap Buyer and Seller
90/10 is the most common copper-nickel in seawater systems, so it arrives in volume from ship repair, desalination and power-plant retubing. Its value depends on being kept free of brass and 70/30.
Sell Cu-Ni 90/10 Scrap
Tell us the form (tube, pipe, fittings, flanges, plate), weight, location and photos. A reading with nickel near 10% and iron near 1.5% confirms 90/10. We review incoming enquiries and respond with relevant next steps.
Buy Cu-Ni 90/10 Scrap
Buyers can state the quantity, accepted forms and limits on zinc, lead and attached materials.
What Is 90/10 Copper-Nickel?
90/10 copper-nickel is copper with about 10% nickel and small additions of iron and manganese. It is used for seawater piping and for condenser and heat exchanger tube on ships, offshore platforms, desalination plants and power-station cooling systems.
The Nickel Institute notes that 90-10 can be given a low magnetic signature only with a fast cool after the final solution heat treatment, and gives its thermal conductivity as 50 W/m·K, much higher than 70-30. For scrap that means a magnet is not a reliable sorting test; an analyser is.
90/10 is listed with our copper-nickel grades; the tube standard is covered on the ASME SB-466 page.
Cu-Ni 90/10 Chemical Composition
Limits in weight per cent from the Copper Development Association listing for C70600.
| Element | Symbol | wt% |
|---|---|---|
| Copper | Cu | Remainder |
| Nickel (incl. cobalt) | Ni | 9.0 to 11.0 |
| Iron | Fe | 1.0 to 1.8 |
| Manganese | Mn | 1.0 max |
| Zinc | Zn | 1.0 max |
| Lead | Pb | 0.05 max |
| UNS | C70600; C70620 for welded product |
|---|---|
| Density | 8.90 kg/dm³ |
| Thermal conductivity | 50 W/m·K |
| Tube standard | ASTM B466 / ASME SB-466 (seamless pipe and tube) |
How 90/10 Scrap Is Sorted
| Reading | Points to |
|---|---|
| Nickel about 10%, iron about 1.5% | 90/10 |
| Nickel about 30% | 70/30 |
| Zinc several per cent or more | Brass or aluminium brass |
| Nickel about 5% | 95/5 copper-nickel (C70400) |
- Cut tube to handle and remove tube-sheet, baffle and support pieces.
- Drain, dry and remove fouling where possible.
- Keep fittings and flanges of other alloys out.
What Sets the Price of 90/10 Scrap
- Copper and nickel content.
- Grade separation from 70/30 and brass.
- Fouling, scale and attached materials.
- Lot size and location.
No price list is published; offers are dated.
Cu-Ni 90/10 FAQ
What is C70600?
The UNS number for 90/10 copper-nickel: 9 to 11% nickel, 1.0 to 1.8% iron, up to 1% manganese, copper remainder.
What is the difference between C70600 and C70620?
Both are 90/10. C70620 is for product that will be welded and has tighter limits on lead, phosphorus, sulphur, zinc and carbon.
Is 90/10 copper-nickel magnetic?
It can show some magnetism; the Nickel Institute notes that a low magnetic signature needs a fast cool after the final heat treatment. Use an analyser, not a magnet, to sort it.
Which HS code applies to 90/10 scrap?
Heading 7404.00, copper waste and scrap.
Sources and Review
Figures are quoted as published in these sources; any value we could not confirm has been left out.
- Copper Development Association, UNS Standard Designations for Wrought Copper Alloys: Copper Nickels (C70000 to C73499), composition limits.
- Nickel Institute, Physical and mechanical properties of copper-nickel alloys: density, thermal conductivity and magnetic behaviour of 90-10 and 70-30.
- ASTM B466 scope and alloy list as summarised on this site's ASME SB-466 page.
Published by Mipra Steel, Khetwadi, Mumbai · Last updated