Topic: Value Guides
The copper price per kg in Australia starts with the world copper price, which is set on the London Metal Exchange (LME) in US dollars per tonne. Convert that to Australian dollars and divide by 1,000 to get the price of one kilo of pure refined copper. Scrap copper is paid below that figure, because it still has to be sorted, transported and refined, and how close your price gets depends on the grade.
This guide explains where the copper price comes from, how to work out the per-kilo figure yourself, why scrap pays less than the market price, and how that turns into the rate you are paid at a scrap yard in Adelaide.
The short answer
- The benchmark: the LME copper price, quoted in US dollars per tonne.
- To get A$ per kg: divide by the exchange rate (US$ per A$1), then divide by 1,000.
- Scrap pays less: the yard pays a share of that figure, depending on grade, processing and freight.
- Grade matters most: bare bright and #1 copper sit closest to the market price; insulated cable sits furthest.
- It moves: the LME price and the Australian dollar both change every trading day.
Where the copper price comes from
Copper is traded worldwide, and the London Metal Exchange publishes official copper prices every trading day. Those prices are in US dollars per metric tonne for high-grade refined copper. In the United States, the COMEX market quotes copper in US dollars per pound, which is why American websites show much smaller-looking numbers. Australian scrap yards, refiners and exporters price copper scrap off these world benchmarks.
How to work out the copper price per kg in Australian dollars
- Take the LME copper price in US$ per tonne.
- Convert it to Australian dollars: divide by the exchange rate, shown as US cents per A$1. The Reserve Bank of Australia publishes the daily rate.
- Divide by 1,000 to go from per tonne to per kilo.
Illustration only: if copper were US$10,000 a tonne and A$1 bought US$0.65, pure copper would be worth about A$15,385 a tonne, or about A$15.38 per kg. These are example numbers to show the maths, not today’s price.
Seeing a price per pound? Multiply by 2.2046 to get the price per kilo in the same currency.
Why scrap copper pays less than the market price
The LME price is for refined copper cathode: copper that is already pure and ready to use. Scrap copper still has to be sorted, handled, sometimes stripped or melted, shipped to a smelter or exporter and refined. Each step costs money, and the cleaner the copper, the fewer steps it needs. That is why:
- Bare bright copper pays the highest share: it is almost pure already.
- #1 copper (clean pipe, busbar) pays a little less.
- #2 copper (solder, paint, fittings) pays less again, because the attachments have to be removed in refining.
- Insulated cable is priced on its copper recovery, the share of its weight that is copper.
See what each grade looks like in our guide to copper scrap grades.
Why the copper price moves
Two things move the price you see in Australia:
- The world copper price, driven by demand (power grids, building, electric vehicles, renewable energy) and supply (mine output, disruptions, stockpiles).
- The Australian dollar. Copper is priced in US dollars, so when the Australian dollar falls, the same world price is worth more Australian dollars per kilo, and when it rises, the local figure drops.
A rising world price and a falling Australian dollar together push local copper prices up quickly; the opposite pulls them down.
From the world price to an Adelaide scrap yard rate
An Adelaide yard’s rate follows the world price, adjusted for the grade, the cost of moving copper to a smelter or export port, and the yard’s own handling. Most yards review their rates weekly or monthly rather than every day, so their published price can lag a sharp move in the market by a little. That is why you should always check the date on a scrap copper price.
Today’s scrap copper price in Adelaide
Our current guide range for each copper grade is on our scrap copper prices page, with the date it was last checked. The rate you are paid is confirmed when your copper is graded and weighed with you at our Green Fields yard, 12 Belfree Dr, Green Fields SA 5107. For other metals, see our scrap metal prices page.
Related guides
- Copper scrap grades explained
- Why scrap metal prices differ between yards
- Is it worth stripping copper wire?
Frequently asked questions
What is the copper price per kg in Australia today?
Take today’s LME copper price in US dollars per tonne, convert it to Australian dollars and divide by 1,000. That is the value of pure refined copper; scrap copper is paid below it depending on the grade. Our scrap copper prices page shows the current guide for each grade in Adelaide.
Why is scrap copper cheaper than the LME price?
The LME price is for pure refined copper. Scrap still has to be sorted, transported and refined, and each of those steps is paid for out of the metal’s value. The cleaner the copper, the closer its price is to the LME figure.
How do I convert a copper price per pound to per kg?
Multiply the price per pound by 2.2046. A price of US$4.50 per pound, for example, is about US$9.92 per kilo, before converting to Australian dollars.
Does the Australian dollar affect scrap copper prices?
Yes. Copper is priced in US dollars, so a weaker Australian dollar raises the local price per kilo and a stronger one lowers it, even when the world price does not move.
How often do scrap copper prices change?
The world copper price changes every trading day. Most scrap yards update their rates weekly or monthly, so their published price follows the market with a short lag.
Final word
The world price sets the ceiling, the exchange rate sets the local figure, and the grade sets how close your scrap gets to it. Keep your copper clean and sorted, check the date on any price, and you will know what a fair rate looks like.
