Category: Recycling

Why Recycling Zinc Improves Your Bottom Line

What is Zinc?

Zinc is a multipurpose metal valued in many industries. It’s the fourth most widely used metal in the world following iron, aluminum, and copper. With annual worldwide consumption of 11 million tons, there are many uses of zinc metal. More than fifty percent of its annual production is used for galvanizing steel to protect it from corrosion. The two main types of zinc galvanization are hot-dip galvanizing and electro-galvanizing. The remainder is for used for producing casting alloys (die casts), metal alloys-brass and bronze, wrought alloys-rolled zinc, along with a large variety of zinc compounds and chemicals. These are often converted into a broad range of products from paint to batteries.

What Zinc Can Globe Metal Recycle

Globe Metal has traditionally handled recycled galvanized zinc in a series of forms such as skimming’s, slags, scales, plating baths, diecasts, and ingots. Our business continues to grow in the sector of soft metals as we buy and handle all kinds of zinc by-products in the form of powders, sludges, soft solids, and metal overspray. We recognize that secondary zinc material does not have a high value compared to the minor metals such as cobalt, molybdenum, or tungsten. However, manufacturers need to dispose of their industrial waste in an environmentally safe manner. The problem with zinc as solid waste is that it generally happens in large volumes. The total costs of transportation, treatment and disposal continually grow. With landfill sites filling up, coupled with the challenge by the public sector not to establish new ones, landfill-dumping costs increase every year.

At Globe Metal We Offer Big Savings

Companies who have to incur these costs think differently about their waste management. The good news is that multiple streams show vast improvement in terms of what is recyclable. We are finding lots of opportunities to recover scrap metal material; the benefits are significant when comparing disposal costs and environmental impacts.

Get the Most from Your Metal Waste

Are you looking to get the most from you zinc metal waste? We can help. Get on a fast track to selling your secondary zinc material waste streams. Here are some the following criteria we need to know to get you the best price for your zinc metal scrap. They are:

Volume
Zinc Content
Moisture Content
Impurities
How is it packaged?

We can take care of recovering your secondary zinc material from anywhere in the world. Give us a call at 1-800-700-6382 or email us at sales@globemetal.com and we are glad to answer all of your questions.

The Do’s & The Don’ts Of Recycling Industrial Metals

Today, more and more companies are capitalizing on the benefits of the economic, environmental and energy savings associated using recycled metal materials. As the continued demand for non-ferrous materials increases, the role of the reservoir of non-ferrous metals in use becomes more critical. Whether you are a metal fabricator or an owner of a small industrial plant, the unrelenting pursuit of reducing costs is always a priority. Here are some easy tips to get you started when recycling industrial metals.

Globe Metal’s Proposed List of What To Do When Recycling Industrial Metals

Know the Value of Your Metals

Guaranteed that at the end of the day, the metal trader you deal with will pay you for the metals you bring. To get a handle on prices, study the market to stay current of the different prices. Remember prices are dependant on local demand and quantity.
Do Separate Your Scrap

Having your materials separated before it leaves your property is essential. Traders always prefer to buy clean loads. Consider setting up a system using separate containers or bins large enough to hold all the metal that you plan to scrap. Make sure you label each bin and organize them to be easily accessible. Ensure that the names are facing forward so that it’s easy to find the right bin when it’s time to recycle.
Know Your Materials

Most local scrap dealers are not advanced enough in their businesses to recycle industrial powders, sludges and residues. There is a vast unexploited waste stream in industries producing soft metal scrap. If you do not have a good handle on your materials, run an ICP test to identify all primary elements.
Keep Your Metal Clean

As waste streams continue to increase in value on the recycled metals market, it’s essential to keep your scrap metal in its cleanest form possible. Many processes will contribute oil, water and other contaminants that will get mixed in with your scrap metal. Even though the value of the metal remains unchanged, the treatment fees can reduce your return. You also want to make sure that other types of metal contaminants, if possible, are removed and sold separately.

Globe Metal’s Proposed List of What NOT To Do When Recycling Industrial Metals

Treating Waste Like Garbage Is A Mistake

Today, many companies and industries view waste as a way to increase their revenues through recycling and find ways to re-use materials or sell it to someone who can use them. Remember, waste is just a “resource of place.” Need some help to take the guesswork out of your specific waste streams? Give us a call, we’re happy to help.
Don’t Misidentify The Metal You Intend To Recycle

Make sure that the scrap metal you think you have is the metal you do have. Otherwise, you’ll be disappointed with the price you get, as it will be lower than expected. There are simple tests you can use to identify your scrap metal: a magnet test to separate ferrous from non-ferrous material and spark testing come to mind.
Be Careful Not To Mix Your Metal Types

When separating your scrap metals into types, make sure that you don’t mix them. You want to avoid confusion before your scrap metal is on the scale. Globe Metal can help you identify your scrap, so you receive the best price on the market for it.
Do Not Expect Your Local Scrap Dealer To Just Give You The Best Price

Choosing a scrap metal recycling facility doesn’t take much time to research. The time you spend will be worth it. Of course price and payment are essential factors, but they are not the only ones. Pick a facility that is a trusted leader in the industry, one that has a quick payment system and one with correctly calibrated scales.

Following these guidelines will help you get the most out of the metals you’re looking to recycle. To find out how your business can benefit by working with a metal broker, contact Globe Metal today.

Globe Metal purchases and provides metal recycling and reclamation services for spent catalysts, metal scrap, residues, sludges and slurries. Spent catalysts, residues and sludges may contain one or more metals or metal compounds: cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), gallium (Ga), gold (Au), iridium (Ir), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), niobium (Nb), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), selenium (Se), tellurium (Te), Titanium (Ti), tungsten (W), rhenium (Re), rhodium (Rh) and others.

For recycling solutions or to sell your spent, waste, scrap, residual, or off-spec material containing metals or metal compounds, please send us an email at sales@globemetal.com or reach out to us at 1-800-700-6382.

Globe Metal is a proud member of Minor Metals Trade Association.

Industrial Metal Industrial Recycling

5 Key Benefits of Recycling Cobalt

Every day, we help environmentally-minded companies keep metals out of landfills so these materials can find new life in new production processes. Cobalt is one of these metals, which is great because as businesses continue to become more aware of the economic and environmental benefits associated with recycling cobalt and other metals, the critical role of supply from secondary sources becomes more evident.

That’s where Globe Metal comes in.

Cobalt is fundamental to so many industries, as it enables technological developments and contributes to a low C02 future. Using secondary source recycled metal over primary sources also helps your bottom line. And isn’t that the bottom line for so many businesses?

As the benefits of recycling Cobalt are becoming increasingly important for society and industries, let’s look at them in more detail.

1. Global Demand For Cobalt Merits A Strong Secondary Market

Cobalt is used in all kinds of industries, from the manufacturing of ceramics to the making of alloys for magnetic and stainless steels in the automotive and aeronautical industries. And demand is growing. The electric vehicle sector, for one, needs cobalt for its batteries and chargers. With the demand for cobalt increasing, there are supply chain issues in these industries. Approximately 50% of world cobalt reserves are in The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). With the concentration of cobalt sourced from this politically sensitive country, there is a growing concern that world supplies will not be met. Finding new sources of cobalt, particularly regarding secondary sources, will be a game-changer for most metal markets.

2. Cobalt Is Infinitely Recyclable

When non-ferrous metals like Cobalt go through the recycling process, their structural integrity does not degrade. It stays the same and, as a result, can be recycled an infinite number of times. Scrap metal is considered to be a “continuous resource,” as it can be re-melted and contribute to making new products over and over again. Consider cobalt to be a resource that can never run out.

3. Energy Efficiency Is Cobalt’s Calling

Even within just one barrel of scrap cobalt, a significant amount of energy can be conserved. Recycling cobalt saves energy that otherwise gets consumed when drilling for ore, refining and other processes in the manufacturing cycle.

4. The Economy Benefits When Cobalt Is Recycled

Studies across Europe, the U.S. and Canada all show the same results: the recycling industry generates jobs and enhances the economy. The Canadian Association Of Recycling Industries (CARI) published an informal survey stating that the industry directly employs 34,000+ people, and 85,000+ people indirectly. Recycled materials reduce production costs and allow manufacturing companies to be more competitive. The metal recycling industry is a force for innovation, driving new technologies and products.

5. Sustainability and the Environment

By definition, metal recycling is sustainable to the economy and the environment. Recycled cobalt and other metals use significantly less energy, reduce greenhouse gases, maximize the use of natural resources, and diverts metal materials from landfills.

At Globe Metal, we recycle all forms of Cobalt. Give our expert staff a call, and find out how your business can benefit in sustainable and economical ways by recovering your metal waste.

Important Facts About Tungsten Carbide Soft Scrap Recycling

Tungsten is a crucial raw material of great economic significance globally. It’s one of the most durable metals and has a variety of uses throughout many industries. That is why this post is designed to provide you with essential facts about Tungsten Carbide Soft Scrap Recycling. We’ll highlight its sources and forms, provide facts about how it’s recyclable, and detail particular security recommendations to consider when recycling this metal.

Tungsten Carbide Sources & its Forms

The most recognized source of carbide soft scrap, also known as “grinding swarf,” comes from metalworking manufacturing industries. It’s a product derived from grinding, finishing, cutting, shaping and forming when using tungsten carbide tools such as saws, drills, cutting tools, end mills and in-tool parts such as drill bits. Manufacturing is not the only industry that produces tungsten carbide soft scrap. In fact, a variety of industries produce it, including woodworking and petroleum. Also, the mining industry produces tungsten carbide soft scrap, as it is used as a coating spray.

There are many forms of Tungsten Carbide sludge to be recycled. They are:

Scrap powder, which is the material used in the thermal spray process for hard facing.
Filter scrap.
- Including scrap from carbide cartridge filters filled with wet or dry carbide or from metal or paper carbide filters.
Tungsten alloys include:
- Densalloy-sludge
- Heviment-sludge and grindings
- Mallory allow-sludge, grinding.

Understanding The Composition of Your Recyclable Tungsten Carbide Is Key

Now that we’ve listed the different sources and forms of Tungsten Carbide and its untapped waste stream, you can see how a lot of these soft scrap materials are recyclable. We can also agree that most manufacturers have a good knowledge of materials going into their processes and the waste stream coming out. Most industries have access to a safety data sheet (SDS), which is a catalogue where you can the find complete information on the chemical composition of all materials.

It’s best that you have some reasonable idea of what other materials are in your sludge, grinding or powder materials. If you have no idea of the composition, Globe Metal is fully transparent with its ICP testing and can give you full lab results. We’re specific with every load of soft metal material that we receive. As for moisture content, there is no issue for recycling, as Tungsten Carbide can is recyclable whether it is wet or dry.

Special Security Recommendations

Many manufacturing industries can naturally produce dust in large quantities. With health and safety standards in place in the province of Quebec and Canada, there are control measures to regulate the amount of dust that goes into the atmosphere, and there are provisions for respiratory protection. These same safety standards need to be in place when collecting your soft metal materials for recycling as well. From a health and safety standpoint, it’s always best to proceed with caution. Soft metal dust is an irritant and can be harmful to your lungs.

Store your sludge, grindings, and turnings in a secure area, as Tungsten Carbide is a high-value commodity. We’ve heard many stories from companies we work with that find this material missing. Once again erring on the side of security is best.

Conclusion

It takes time to gather the right information. If you need any more guidance, feel free to reach out with your questions. Globe Metal specializes in helping companies recycle soft metal materials.

Globe Metal is a proud member of Minor Metals Trade Association.

Turning an Expense into Profit

On a global scale, current data indicates that for widely used metals such as aluminum and steel, the recycling rate is approximately 75%. This translates into 45% of the world’s steel production and 30% of aluminum world production coming from recycled metals. The benefits of using secondary raw materials impact the environment and the economy in a very positive way. The processing of secondary metals uses significantly less energy than primary virgin ore. For example, approximations of energy conserved when using secondary sources is:

60% for iron and steel
95% for aluminum
90% for copper

Not only does secondary metal processing use considerably less energy, but it’s also less water-intensive, creates much fewer production by-products such as smelter slimes, tailings, and most importantly, less greenhouse gases. Considering the large environmental impacts of primary metal production processes, metal recycling offers a stream of benefits such as energy conservation, natural resource conservation, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Since many metals have an endless recyclable capacity, meaning they can be reused again and again — keeping their internal structure intact without losing integrity — they contribute greatly to natural resource conservation. Metal recycling is extremely valuable in meeting all the objectives to create a future that is both economically and environmentally sustainable.

Manufacturing and industrial plants are associated with many waste by-products. If not recycled or properly disposed, they have significant effects on the environment. One issue is they take up space in landfills that could be used by other non-recyclable waste. Not only does solid waste create negative environmental impacts, but also the economics of disposal are playing a critical role than ever before. The finances of waste disposal has motivated some big players, like General Motors (GM) the automaker giant, to start viewing waste as something not to be thrown away, but as a ‘resource out of place’. In 2013, GM increased revenues by a rousing $1 billion dollars by recycling and re-using their materials that otherwise would have been sent to a landfill by finding ways to re-use the materials or selling it to someone who could use them. Today, worldwide, 90% of GM’s manufacturing waste is recycled or re-used. They have been spreading this gospel of recycling and zero-waste manufacturing for other companies and industries to follow with this downloadable blueprint.

Recycling can be challenging. We understand there is just not one approach that fits all when it comes to recycling in the manufacturing and industrial industries. Having over 40 years of experience and a reputation in the industry, we can help you turn your waste product into a commodity that generates another revenue stream. Whether it’s supplying metal recycling equipment or other logistics services, through our partnership, you can lower both your financial and environmental costs. We can assist you in taking the guesswork out of specific waste materials such as the ones in the form of powders and overspray chips. For example, filter cakes from plating facilities contain nickel and zinc, wire drawing-copper sludge contains tin, and coatings and hard facing contain nickel, tungsten, cobalt, titanium, and aluminum. The recovery of different metals has a general minimum that can be typically recovered on a dry basis and is contingent on some factors, which includes no major contaminants. They are: Nickel 5%-10%, Molybdenum 7%-8%, Tungsten 10%, Copper 10%, Chrome 30%, Cobalt 5%, Vanadium 10%, Zinc 40%, Titanium 50%.

Many industrial and manufacturing plants produce many products using unique materials. If you have an industrial waste by-product, give us a call, and we’ll help you to minimize your waste and increase your bottom line.

The Rise and Fall of the Scrap Industry in North America

I remember when I first started working in the metal recycling industry in 1974 and I would tell somebody that I was in the scrap business, the first response was always” Wow, everyone in the scrap business makes a fortune!”.

That probably was true at the time. Many fortunes were made in the business due to WW2, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. These events were major drivers in the fortunes of scrap dealers at the time and many of those that were smart enough invested their money in real estate or something else less volatile. Those that weren’t smart enough, in hindsight, invested in their businesses.

These investments were weird, if you could call it that. Most scrap dealers at the time would buy used equipment for a fraction of the cost of new stuff and they would patch it up and make due. Yards were filthy mud holes and often un-navigable after the spring thaw or a good rain. No customers knew anything about weights and were glad to have someone haul off the scrap and give them some money and everybody in the business made a ton of money. If you looked around one of these scrap yards at the time you would see piles of high grade industrial scrap and for the most part, you couldn’t give away scrap washers and dryers.

Fast forward to the early years of the 21^st century and the landscape is completely different. Industrial production has moved offshore and the scrap you find in most yards today consists of junk, literally. Old washers, dryers, refrigerators, cars and other household and machinery waste make up the feedstocks and instead of men cutting with torches and old style cable cranes moving the scrap around, you see hugely capital intensive equipment to shred this waste into some type of manageable recyclable material. Fancy hydraulic cranes move the scrap around at lightning speed and efficiency and most of the yards have poured concrete or asphalt to combat the potential soil contamination and mud. The major steel mills all own scrap yards because they misguidedly thought if they owned yards they could control the price of scrap.

Sounds like scrap Utopia, doesn’t it?

But the opposite is true. As in every other boom, too much capacity was created and today many of these mega-shredders lay idle due to lack of feedstock. This scrap “famine” has occurred for two reasons. Firstly, the mills, in an effort to compete with the Chinese (big joke there) have forced the price of scrap down so low that in many areas it doesn’t pay to pick it up. Auto wreckers won’t sell scrap at these levels and demolition jobs have been postponed because there is no longer a positive asset value, since the recovered metal is so cheap.

Add to that the fact that most “Mom and Pop” recycling companies have closed due to the lack of scrap and the fact that the mega-shredders have forced them out of business. Maybe bigger isn’t always better?

In the past eight years, some of the most predominant names in the scrap industry have either gone bankrupt leaving customers with huge amounts of unpaid scrap loads or they have just closed up and will never re-open, their yards worthless pieces of land because in the go-go years, who cared about the environment?

So how does one protect themselves against the possibility of selling scrap to someone and not get caught in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding?

You choose your recycler carefully. You make sure they have the necessary hazardous waste permits to process and store your overspray, chips, powders, filters, etc and you make sure they have receivable insurance to protect themselves from their consumers going bankrupt.

In the 2015-2016 periods, we have witnessed 5 of our major consumers slide into bankruptcy with three of them going Chapter 7. If we did not have insurance, these results would have been detrimental to the health of our company and in some cases, the health of our suppliers due to lack of payment. As well, having the necessary permits not only protects the generator, but protects the scrap dealer from the punishing fines associated with not abiding by the law.

Unfortunately we can’t turn back the hands of time, but we can learn from our mistakes, so take heed and be careful and like they say in the song, “Every little thing gonna be alright”.

Jeff Solomon, CEO
Globe Metal Inc.

Our Core Metals: Tungsten, Tantalum, Niobium, Cobalt, Nickel, Molybdenum, Chrome, Titanium

Forms We Recycle: Powder, Sludge, Grindings, Slag, Turnings, Solids, Filters

5 Tips to Maximize the Value of Scrap Metal

The troft in metal prices that we’ve seen in the metal industry over the past few years has been painful, we’ve felt it, and if you’re reading this, you’ve likely felt it. Tungsten, Molybdenum are all trading at less than half of what they were just 2 years ago. This deflation has lead some within our industry to speculate on metal, holding onto material, waiting for better prices. We’re written about the risks of speculating before.

Globe Metal Travel Tips

As summer comes to an end, and with Mine Expo 2016 & CRU Ryan’s Notes conferences coming up, many of our buyers are getting ready to hit the road. At the best of times business travel can be an exhilarating mix of seeing new places, putting faces to the names that you work with everyday and creating opportunities that are nearly impossible through email or over the phone. In the worst of times, it can be endless small talk, fast food and running through airports.

Because we believe minor changes can be the difference between a great trip and a headache, we’ve asked our buyers for their best travel tips to ensure your trips run smoothly and efficiently. Here are our top 5:

“Spend an extra 20-30 minutes researching your destination before heading out. Knowing the location of your meeting, a pharmacy and a good restaurant in relation to your hotel is going to present fewer surprises and more enjoyable time. — Ricardo Martinez

“Print out your reservations and photocopy your travel documents, if your cellphone dies or you loose your wallet it’s going to save you a lot of time and headache.” — Brad Solomon, (Attending Mine Expo 2016)

“Keep wet wipes in your carry on; besides cleaning up spills they are a great way to wash your face and look less road weary when running between meetings or after getting off a long flight. They’ve also saved me in Asia and South America where toilet paper in washrooms is non-existent.” — Brendon Chrus, Account Manager

“Board the plane Last, if you’re spending a lot of time on the road, your likely sitting a lot. You will feel more energized if you spend the last few minutes before boarding, walking around on the phone with your wife or touching base with the office. Added benefit, you can sometimes choose your own seat.” — Ryan Solomon, President (just arrived from a busy few weeks of travel in the Midwest, Southern US and Ontario)

“If you’re attending a conference, it’s always better to organize as many meetings as possible before hand. If you arrive and just expect that you’re going to end up bumping into people on the show floor, you’re going to miss out. Getting out of the office is important but if you don’t have a game plan the opportunity will be lost.” — Jeff Solomon, CEO (Attending Mine Expo 2016)

Have any other tips? We’d love to hear them. If you’d like to schedule a time to meet one of our salesmen, find their contact here.

Recycling Titanium Powder

One of the keys to the success for Globe Metal has been our ability to understand the industrial application of metals. Through talking to our customers and asking them about challenges they face, we’re able to identify opportunities that will benefit both partners bottom lines and our own. One process that’s grown out of this communication is the collection and recycling of Titanium Overspray powders.

Titanium powder is most often used in spraying medical devices, implants or dental devices. Titanium is chosen due to it’s biocompatibility; whether it’s in a hip, knee or mouth, it’s stable and without risk of complications. The powder is applied using thermal spraying processes such as VPS (Vacuum Plasma Spray) or APS (Atmospheric Plasma Spray). Through these processes a large amount of the powder misses the intended object and is then collected in the form of overspray, floorsweeps & chips.

We at Globe Metal are uniquely able to transform this waste into an end use product that stays out of landfills and dumps. Likely of greater interest to our clients is the fact that we’re able to create revenue for this waste product, which they’d previously been paying disposal fees. The exact price will depend on the root form (powder vs Granules), waste form, purity and market value.

While we’ve established ourselves as the worldwide leader in recycling titanium powders, we remain committed to customer service and will help you collect, store and ship this product. If you’d like more info or a formal quote, reach out to our in-house expert Greg Solomon at greg@globemetal.com & 1(800)700-6382 ext. 36

Recycling Bag House Filters Saves Money and the Environment

In today’s difficult business environment we are all looking to reduce costs and make ourselves more efficient.

One of the ways to reduce these costs is to recycle materials that would normally go to a landfill. Bag house filters are an item that can be expensive to dispose of due to the chemistries of some of the metals contained within.

There is good news concerning these filters. Technology exists to not only extract the metals from the filters but also allows for the filter to be reused in three more filtering cycles.

This non-destructive method is not only environmentally friendly but allows the owner of the filter to substantially reduce disposal costs as well as filter replacement costs. In some cases the owner of may even receive remuneration for the metals contained within.

The filter can be returned to 97% of the original OEM specification!

We have been recycling filters for years and have found it to be not only economical but we find it extremely gratifying to be contributing to the environmental health of the planet.

Jeff Solomon jeff@globemetal.com
CEO Globe Metal Recycling Services Inc