Key takeaways
- Grade chemistry, mainly nickel plus elements such as molybdenum, niobium, cobalt and tungsten, influences scrap value but does not set a fixed price.
- A single verified grade fits a melt shop’s target chemistry; mixed grades usually have to be re-sorted or are treated as mixed material.
- Describe a lot by grade and UNS number, form, weight, location and condition, backed by XRF or OES readings or mill certificates.
What Makes a Nickel Alloy Scrap Grade Valuable?
Nickel alloy scrap is bought to be remelted. A melt shop uses it to replace primary nickel and alloying metals in a new heat, so a buyer looks first at what the scrap contains and how certain that is. Several factors combine:
- Nickel content. Nickel is the base of most of these alloys, from 38–46% in Incoloy 825 to at least 72% in Inconel 600.
- Alloying elements. Molybdenum, niobium, cobalt, tungsten and, in some cast alloys, tantalum and hafnium add to what the scrap can replace in a melt.
- Confirmed grade. A lot identified to one grade and UNS number can go into a melt that needs that chemistry.
- Segregation. One grade per lot. Mixing grades makes the chemistry of the lot uncertain.
- Form and condition. Solids, pipe, plate and bar ends are simpler to verify and melt than oily turnings or unsorted material. See scrap forms.
- Contamination. Oil, coatings, attachments and tramp elements such as lead can lower value or rule material out of some melts.
- Traceability and quantity. Readings, matching mill certificates and a lot size that suits the buyer all count.
- Market and buyer. Metal prices move daily, and each melt shop needs particular chemistries.
A grade's chemistry can influence its scrap value, but it does not establish a fixed price. Actual offers depend on confirmed chemistry, form, quantity, condition, segregation, logistics, buyer requirements and prevailing market conditions. How those factors combine is covered in what decides the value of a nickel alloy scrap lot.
Common Nickel Alloy Scrap Grades
The grades below are frequently seen in industrial scrap because they are widely specified in oil and gas, chemical processing, aerospace and power generation. Trade names such as Inconel, Hastelloy, Monel and Incoloy are producers' brand names; the UNS number identifies the alloy whoever made it. Figures are specification limits, or nominal values where marked, in weight per cent; individual heats vary within the limits.
| Grade | UNS | Key chemistry (wt%) | Common scrap sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inconel 625 | N06625 | Ni 58 min; Cr 20–23; Mo 8–10; Nb (+Ta) 3.15–4.15; Fe 5 max | Process and offshore pipe, scrubbers, fittings |
| Inconel 718 | N07718 | Ni 50–55; Cr 17–21; Nb (+Ta) 4.75–5.50; Mo 2.80–3.30; Fe balance (about 18) | Aerospace and oilfield machining turnings, forgings, bar ends |
| Inconel 600 | N06600 | Ni 72 min; Cr 14–17; Fe 6–10 | Furnace parts, heat-exchanger tube, chemical plant |
| Hastelloy C-276 | N10276 | Mo 15–17; Cr 14.5–16.5; W 3.0–4.5; Fe 4–7 | Scrubbers, reactors, pickling and chemical plant |
| Hastelloy C-22 | N06022 | Cr 20–22.5; Mo 12.5–14.5; W 2.5–3.5; Fe 2–6 | Chemical and pharmaceutical plant |
| Hastelloy B-2 | N10665 | Mo 26–30; Fe 2 max; Cr 1 max | Equipment for hydrochloric acid and other reducing acids |
| Monel 400 | N04400 | Ni 63 min; Cu 28–34; Fe 2.5 max | Marine and seawater fittings, pumps, valves |
| Monel K-500 | N05500 | Ni 63 min; Cu 27–33; Al 2.30–3.15; Ti 0.35–0.85 | Pump shafts, fasteners, oil-well tools |
| Incoloy 825 | N08825 | Ni 38–46; Fe 22 min; Cr 19.5–23.5; Mo 2.5–3.5; Cu 1.5–3.0 | Sour-service tubing, acid plant |
| René 80 | None confirmed | Nominal: Cr 14; Co 9.5; Ti 5; Mo 4; W 4; Al 3 | Cast turbine blades and vanes, foundry revert |
| MAR-M 247 | None confirmed | Nominal: W 10; Co 10; Al 5.5; Ta 3; Hf 1.5 | Cast turbine blades and vanes, foundry revert |
René 80 and MAR-M 247 are cast superalloys usually specified by producer or end-user chemistry; no UNS number has been confirmed for either, so they are identified by name and analysis.
Send the grade, form, approximate quantity and location.
Nominal values from the grade pages; specification limits vary by product form.
Why Grade-Segregated Scrap Matters
A melt shop builds each heat to a target chemistry. Scrap of a known grade lets it replace part of the primary metal charge with confidence: Inconel 625 scrap suits nickel-chromium-molybdenum melts, Monel suits nickel-copper melts, and cast superalloy revert is normally remelted by specialist vacuum melters under close control of trace elements. See how superalloy revert is recycled.
When two grades are mixed, the chemistry of the lot becomes uncertain. An element that belongs in one alloy can be out of limits for another: copper from Monel in a nickel-chromium melt, or iron from Incoloy 825 or Inconel 718 in an alloy that needs low iron. A buyer then has to re-sort and re-test the lot, use it only where the mixture fits, or treat it as mixed material. How a mixed lot is handled depends on the buyer, but it is seldom as useful to them as the same metal sorted by grade.
Segregation also keeps traceability intact. Readings taken piece by piece, or a mill certificate whose heat number matches the material, only describe the lot if it contains one grade. See positive material identification for scrap lots.
The Alloying Elements That Can Influence Scrap Value
A payable element is an element in the scrap that a buyer gives value for, because it replaces metal they would otherwise have to buy for the melt. For many nickel-base scrap transactions, nickel and certain alloying elements are important value considerations. Treatment of chromium, iron, molybdenum, cobalt, tungsten, niobium, tantalum and other elements depends on the grade, its chemistry and the buyer's melt requirements.
- Molybdenum is highest in Hastelloy B-2, then C-276 and C-22, and significant in Inconel 625.
- Niobium is about 5% in Inconel 718 and about 3.6% in Inconel 625.
- Cobalt and tungsten are significant in cast superalloys such as René 80 and MAR-M 247; tungsten is also present in Hastelloy C-276 and C-22.
- Tantalum and hafnium occur in some cast blade alloys such as MAR-M 247, and rhenium in some single-crystal alloys such as René N5.
- Chromium, iron and copper are part of the chemistry a buyer has to account for; whether they add to an offer depends on the melt the scrap is going into.
The contained metal calculator estimates how many kilograms of each element a lot of a given grade holds, from nominal composition.
Common Nickel Alloy Grade Mix-Ups
Inconel 625 and Inconel 718
Both are silvery nickel-chromium alloys that look the same on the yard floor. Inconel 718 contains far more iron (about 18%, against 5% maximum in 625) and less molybdenum (about 3%, against 8–10%), and more niobium. A handheld XRF reading separates them readily. See Inconel 625 vs 718.
Hastelloy C-22 and C-276
C-22 and C-276 differ in chromium, molybdenum and tungsten levels, with C-22 containing higher chromium (20–22.5% against 14.5–16.5%) and C-276 containing higher molybdenum (15–17% against 12.5–14.5%) and tungsten (3.0–4.5% against 2.5–3.5%). See Hastelloy C-22 vs C-276.
Monel 400 and Monel K-500
Both are nickel-copper alloys with similar nickel and copper contents. K-500 also contains aluminium (2.30–3.15%) and titanium (0.35–0.85%), added so it can be age-hardened. Aluminium is a light element that a standard handheld XRF measures poorly, so reliable confirmation of K-500 usually needs spark OES or an XRF set up for light-element analysis. See Monel 400 vs K-500 and XRF, OES and laboratory analysis compared.
“Inconel 825” and Incoloy 825
Scrap lists sometimes say “Inconel 825”. The alloy is Incoloy 825 (UNS N08825), an iron-nickel-chromium alloy with 38–46% nickel and at least 22% iron. Describing it correctly matters, because a buyer expecting a nickel-base Inconel grade would find far more iron.
Other Grades You May Encounter
Many other nickel alloys turn up in industrial scrap. Among those covered on this site are Inconel 601 and Inconel 617 from furnace and high-temperature equipment; Hastelloy X, Haynes 230 and Haynes 282 from gas turbine combustors and hot sections; and Nimonic grades such as Nimonic 80A. Cast turbine alloys are grouped under superalloy scrap.
Titanium, such as Titanium Grade 5, and duplex stainless steels, such as duplex 2205, often come out of the same plants as nickel alloy scrap, but they are not nickel-base alloys and are traded as separate materials. The overview of every family is in high-nickel alloy scrap.
How to Describe Your Nickel Alloy Scrap Lot
A clear description lets a buyer judge the material before anyone travels or ships. Include:
- the grade, or your best identification, and the UNS number if known
- the form: solids, pipe, plate, bar ends, turnings, revert or mixed
- the approximate weight and where the material is
- whether the lot is a single grade or mixed
- its condition: clean and dry, oily, coated, or with attachments
- photographs of the whole lot and close-ups of any markings
- XRF or OES readings on several pieces, if you have them
- mill certificates whose heat numbers match the material, if available
The sell your scrap form asks for these details step by step. If you are not sure of the grade, the grade identifier compares your readings with the nominal composition of each grade.
- Grade and UNS numberthe recognised designation, not a loose trade name
- Formsolids, pipe, plate, bar ends, turnings or revert
- Approximate weightand how it is packed
- Locationcity and country of the material
- Evidencereadings, certificates or markings
- Photographsof the pile and of any markings
Conclusion
Nickel alloy scrap is valued for what it contains and for how certain that is. Identifying material to the grade, with its UNS number and supporting readings, helps a buyer understand the chemistry, assess the lot properly and match it to the right melt. Keeping each grade separate protects that information.
Submit a requirement with the grade, form, quantity and delivery location.
Source a GradeFAQ
What makes nickel alloy scrap valuable?
Mainly its confirmed chemistry: nickel content plus alloying elements such as molybdenum, niobium, cobalt and tungsten. Segregation by grade, form, condition, contamination, quantity, traceability and current market conditions also affect what a buyer will offer.
Which nickel alloy scrap grades are commonly encountered?
Grades frequently seen in industrial scrap include Inconel 625, 718 and 600, Hastelloy C-276, C-22 and B-2, Monel 400 and K-500, Incoloy 825, and cast superalloys such as René 80 and MAR-M 247.
Is Inconel 625 or 718 scrap worth more?
There is no fixed answer. Inconel 625 contains more nickel and molybdenum, while 718 contains more niobium but much more iron. Which is valued higher depends on current metal prices and the buyer’s melt requirements, and both are more useful to a buyer sorted than mixed.
Is “Inconel 825” the same as Incoloy 825?
Yes. “Inconel 825” is a common mislabel. The alloy is Incoloy 825, UNS N08825, an iron-nickel-chromium alloy with 38–46% nickel and at least 22% iron, and it should be described as Incoloy 825.
Can XRF distinguish Monel 400 from Monel K-500?
Not reliably on its own. K-500 contains aluminium and titanium, and aluminium is difficult for a standard handheld XRF to measure, so spark OES or an XRF set up for light elements is normally used to confirm K-500.
Does the grade alone determine the scrap price?
No. The grade indicates the likely chemistry, but an offer also depends on confirmed analysis, form, quantity, condition, segregation, logistics, the buyer’s requirements and metal prices on the day.
