Key takeaways
- Sell each Inconel grade and each form as its own lot; 625 and 718 mixed together sell as neither.
- Name the grade with its UNS number, and call Incoloy 825 and 925 by their real names.
- Back the grade with readings that show element values, plus markings and matching 3.1 certificates where they exist.
- Send the grade, form, condition, weight, location and photographs to get a firmer first offer.
To sell Inconel scrap at the value of the alloy rather than the value of "mixed nickel", you have to answer a buyer's questions before they are asked: which grade, which form, how clean, how much, where, and what proves it. Every gap in that list is a risk the buyer has to price in. Fill the gaps and the first offer is firmer, and less changes when the material is checked on arrival.
This guide is for anyone holding Inconel scrap: a fabrication shop with 625 pipe offcuts, a machine shop with drums of 718 turnings, a furnace contractor with a stack of 601 radiant tubes, or a trader consolidating lots. It covers the grades, how to prepare each form, how to prove the grade, and what an Inconel scrap buyer needs to see in an enquiry.
What Does an Inconel Scrap Buyer Need to Know?
An Inconel scrap buyer needs six things: the grade with its UNS number, the form, the condition, the approximate weight, the location, and the evidence behind the grade. With those, a buyer can work out how much nickel and other payable metal the lot contains, and how much effort it will take to confirm, handle and melt. Without them, any number is a guess, and guesses are cautious.
- Grade and UNSfor example Inconel 625, N06625, not just Inconel
- Formsolids, bar ends, pipe, plate, sheet, turnings, wire or revert
- Conditionclean or oily, coated, clad, with or without attachments
- Weightapproximate net weight per grade and form, and how it is packed
- Locationcity and country, loose or loaded, ready date
- Evidencereadings with element values, markings, certificates, photographs
Which Inconel Grades Are Bought as Scrap?
Every Inconel grade is bought as scrap, and each is valued on its own chemistry. Nickel sets the base, then molybdenum, niobium and cobalt add to what the scrap can replace in a new melt. That is why a buyer will not make one offer for "Inconel", and why grade separation is the first thing to get right.
| Grade (UNS) | Separating chemistry, nominal | Where the scrap usually comes from | Common forms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inconel 600 (N06600) | About 76% Ni, 15.5% Cr, 8% Fe; no Mo or Nb | Furnace and heat-treat rebuilds, caustic evaporators, exchanger tube bundles | Plate, tube, bar ends |
| Inconel 601 (N06601) | About 23% Cr, 14% Fe, 1.4% Al | Radiant tubes, muffles, furnace baskets, heater parts | Plate, tube, fabricated solids |
| Inconel 617 (N06617) | About 12.5% Co, 9% Mo, 22% Cr | Turbine hot sections, nitric acid catalyst supports | Solids, sheet, pipe |
| Inconel 625 (N06625) | About 9% Mo, 3.6% Nb, iron under 5% | Offshore and subsea pipe, scrubbers, flanges and fittings | Pipe, plate, bar ends, turnings, wire |
| Inconel 690 (N06690) | About 29% Cr, 9% Fe | Steam generator replacements, nitric acid equipment | Tube, plate |
| Inconel 706 (N09706) | About 37.5% Fe, 2.9% Nb, no Mo | Land-based gas turbine discs, wheels and shafts | Solids, turnings |
| Inconel 713C (N07713) | About 6.1% Al, 4.2% Mo, 2% Nb | Turbocharger wheels, foundry revert | Castings and revert |
| Inconel 718 (N07718) | About 18.5% Fe, 5.1% Nb, 3% Mo | Aerospace machining, oilfield parts, fasteners | Turnings, solids, bar ends |
Nominal values from the grade pages; specification limits vary by product form.
Read the bars and the scrap logic follows. 600, 601 and 690 are nickel, chromium and iron with no molybdenum. 625 and 617 carry about 9% molybdenum, and 617 adds about 12.5% cobalt. 718 trades some nickel for iron but carries the most niobium of the group. Those differences are why mixing costs money: a mixed lot can only be valued on what every piece is certain to contain.
Alloys Sold as "Inconel" That Are Not Inconel
"Inconel 825" and "Inconel 925" on a stock list are Incoloy 825 and Incoloy 925, iron-nickel-chromium alloys with about 42–44% nickel and 28–30% iron. Hastelloy X and C-276 also get called Inconel in shops that use the word for anything nickel-based. Describe them by their real names. A buyer who sees "Incoloy 825 (N08825)" instead of "Inconel 825" knows the seller understands the material, and reads the rest of the list with more confidence. See Inconel vs Incoloy.
How Should Each Form of Inconel Scrap Be Prepared?
Prepare each form so that what the buyer weighs is one grade of clean alloy and nothing else. The work differs by form, and so do the reasons.
| Form | What to do before sale | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Solids and forgings | Remove bolts, lifting lugs and welded-on carbon steel; cut oversize pieces | Attachments are weight the buyer cannot pay alloy value for, and may bring tramp elements |
| Bar ends | Keep by grade and, where possible, by heat number; leave stencilled ends visible | Stencils link pieces to certificates |
| Pipe and tube | Keep solid pipe apart from clad or weld-overlaid pipe; remove tube sheets and baffles from bundles | A 625 overlay on carbon steel is a different product from solid 625 pipe |
| Plate and sheet | Keep clean crops, burning skeletons and sheet trim apart from clad plate and plate with deposits | Clean crops are the easiest material to confirm and melt |
| Turnings | Bin by grade at the machine, drain or centrifuge oil, crush long swarf, pick out carbide inserts | Oil, moisture and tool fragments are the main reasons chips are discounted |
| Wire and welding wire | Keep spools and coil ends by grade; remove plastic spools where practical | Spools are not metal, and mixed wire cannot be sorted later |
| Cast revert (713C) | Keep apart from wrought Inconel; declare coatings | Cast alloys carry aluminium and titanium levels that wrought grades do not |
- 1Bin at sourceone labelled container per grade and form
- 2Strip and cleanattachments off, oil drained, deposits removed
- 3Identifyreadings on solids, samples from turnings
- 4Weigh and photographweight list, photographs of lot and markings
- 5Send the enquirygrade, form, condition, weight, location, evidence
- 6Agree termsprice basis, inspection, weighing and payment in writing
The form pages carry more detail, for example nickel alloy pipe and tube scrap, and the scrap preparation guide covers cutting and packing.
How Do You Prove the Grade of Inconel Scrap?
You prove the grade with evidence a buyer can check: element readings on each piece, markings that match a mill certificate, and records that tie the scrap to its source. The more of these line up, the less the buyer has to discount for uncertainty.
- PMI record with element valuesevery solid piece, or several samples from turnings
- Marking plus matching 3.1 certificateUNS number, specification and heat number agree
- Source recordsdrawings, datasheets, part numbers or purchase records
- Photographsthe lot, the packing and any legible markings
- Description onlya grade name with nothing behind it
Readings should show element values, not just a grade call. A buyer looking at 625 wants to see molybdenum near 9%, niobium present and iron low; for 718 the buyer wants iron near 18% and niobium near 5%. A grade call alone hides whether the analyser made a close match or a marginal one. The method is set out in positive material identification for scrap lots, and certificates in reading a 3.1 mill certificate. If you are still working out what you have, start with how to identify Inconel scrap.
Send the grade, form, approximate quantity and location.
What Lowers the Offer on an Inconel Scrap Lot?
Anything that makes the chemistry uncertain, or adds weight that is not Inconel, lowers the offer. The causes are predictable, and most can be fixed before the buyer sees the lot.
- Mixed grades. 625 and 718 turnings in one drum cannot be separated afterwards, and the lot is treated as mixed nickel alloy.
- Stainless steel in the lot. One 316 offcut among 625 pieces makes the buyer recheck every piece.
- Undeclared clad or overlay. The alloy may be a small share of the weight.
- Oil, moisture and carbide. Wet, oily turnings lose weight and value in the melt, and tool fragments are unwelcome inclusions.
- Coatings, paint and solder. They bring elements such as lead and tin that melters limit to very low levels; see tramp elements and remelting.
- Small, scattered quantities. Many small mixed bags cost more to handle than one consolidated lot of the same grade.
How these factors combine into a number is explained in what decides the value of a nickel alloy scrap lot.
Selling Inconel Turnings
Inconel turnings sell well when they are one grade, dry, crushed and backed by an analysis, and poorly when they are none of those. Machining can remove a large share of a forging's weight as chips, so turnings are often the biggest Inconel stream a shop produces.
Inconel 718 turnings come mostly from aerospace disc, shaft and ring machining and from oilfield components. Inconel 625 turnings come from flange, fitting and valve machining. The discipline is the same for both: a labelled bin at each machine, no stainless or titanium chips, coolant drained, long swarf crushed, and a composite sample drawn from several points in each drum. Why buyers discount chips, and how to narrow the gap, is covered in solids vs turnings.
What Does a Good Inconel Scrap Enquiry Look Like?
A good enquiry lets a buyer picture the lot without visiting it. Compare two messages about the same material. The first says: "We have about two tonnes of Inconel scrap, mixed sizes, please quote." The buyer cannot tell whether that is 600 or 625, solid or clad, clean or oily, so any reply will be cautious or will simply ask the questions back.
The second says: "Inconel 625 (N06625), pipe offcuts from spool fabrication, 1,400 kg, solid pipe only, no overlay, stencils ASTM B444 visible on most pieces with 3.1 certificates for three heats. Separately 600 kg of 625 turnings from flange machining, dry, crushed, in six closed drums, one composite reading attached. Loose at our workshop, ready next week. Photographs attached." That buyer can make an offer on each line, subject to confirming the readings.
Notice what the second message does. It splits the material into lots by form, gives each one its own weight, states what is not in the lot (overlay, other grades), names the evidence and says where it is. You do not need every item to send an enquiry; send what you have and say what is missing. Honest gaps are easier for a buyer to price than claims that change on inspection.
Questions to Ask an Inconel Scrap Buyer
Ask any buyer how they quote, how they confirm the grade, where the lot is weighed and when you are paid. A specialist should quote by grade and form, show you the readings they rely on, explain what happens if a piece reads differently from its declared grade, and put the price basis and payment terms in writing.
The full list is in how to choose a nickel alloy scrap buyer. Mipra Steel buys and supplies nickel alloy scrap described by grade, asks sellers for readings, certificates and photographs, and handles import and export enquiries.
Selling Inconel Scrap Across Borders
Inconel scrap crossing a border normally ships as nickel waste and scrap under HS heading 7503.00, with a commercial invoice, a packing list giving weight by grade, a bill of lading, a certificate of origin and, for many destinations, a radiation-free certificate. Shipments into India generally also need a pre-shipment inspection certificate. Rules change, so check the current requirements for your route before you ship. See export documents for alloy scrap and importing nickel alloy scrap into India.
When your lot is sorted and described, send us the grade, form, weight, location and photographs and we'll review your enquiry.
Submit a requirement with the grade, form, quantity and delivery location.
Source a GradeFAQ
Is Inconel scrap worth more than stainless steel scrap?
Generally, yes. Most Inconel grades are nickel-base, with roughly 50–76% nickel, while 304 and 316 stainless carry about 9–11%. Many Inconel grades also contain payable molybdenum, niobium or cobalt. The gap in an actual offer depends on the grade, form, condition and market on the day, which is why it pays to keep any stainless steel out of an Inconel lot rather than letting it dilute the whole consignment.
Can I sell a small quantity of Inconel scrap?
Yes. Small quantities sell more easily when they are one grade, clean and clearly labelled, so they can be added to a larger lot of the same alloy. Keep each grade in its own bag or drum, note the weight, and photograph any markings. If you produce small amounts regularly, storing them by grade until you have a consolidated lot usually costs less to handle than selling many mixed bags.
Do I need an XRF report to sell Inconel scrap?
Not always, but it helps. Markings, certificates and photographs can support an indicative offer, and the buyer will usually confirm the grade on receipt or at inspection. Readings that show element values, not just a grade name, let a buyer make a firmer offer earlier. For turnings, a composite analysis from several sampling points carries more weight than a single reading.
How should Inconel turnings be packed for sale?
Pack them dry, in closed drums, bags or bins of one grade each, labelled with the grade, the source machine or job and the weight. Drain or centrifuge the coolant first, crush long, stringy swarf, and pick out carbide inserts. Keep titanium and stainless chips well away. Wet or oily drums lose weight and value, and an unlabelled drum is treated as unknown material.
What happens if the buyer's reading differs from mine?
Agree the answer before the lot moves. A good contract states which instrument or method decides the grade, how many pieces or samples are checked, and what happens to pieces that read differently, for example whether they are returned, re-graded or priced separately. Keeping your own records with element values makes any discussion faster, because both sides can compare the same elements.
Can weld-overlaid or clad Inconel pipe be sold?
Yes, as clad or overlaid pipe, declared as such. The carbon steel pipe is usually most of the weight and the 625 layer is valued on what it contains, so it is a different product from solid 625 pipe. Say which surface carries the alloy, give the base pipe material and, if known, the layer thickness. Mixing it into a solid pipe lot is a common cause of rejected lots.
Is used Inconel from service worth less than new offcuts?
The chemistry is the same, but service scrap often carries oxide, deposits, coatings or attachments, and has usually lost its markings and certificates. That adds cleaning and identification work for the buyer. Clean it back to metal where practical, remove attachments, and back the grade with readings. Well-prepared service scrap can be offered on much the same basis as fabrication offcuts of the same grade.
