Scrap metal recycling · Brisbane
Your metal is worth more than the bin it’s sitting in
MetalBase buys, processes and remarkets ferrous and non-ferrous scrap across greater Brisbane. Graded in front of you, weighed on a certified bridge, paid in cash on the spot.
Brisbane’s base for ferrous and non-ferrous metal
The same weighbridge and the same grading standard whether you arrive with a trailer of copper or a demolition program.
What we buy
If it's metal and it's legal, we'll price it
Copper, brass, aluminium, lead, stainless, heavy melting steel, cast iron, batteries, motors, cable and e-waste — 28 grades across three streams.
Grading happens in front of you before the load is tipped, and alloys are confirmed with a handheld XRF gun when the difference matters.
Four ways Brisbane sends us metal
For sites that generate metal every week
Collection & bin hire
Bins dropped where the metal is, swapped before they overflow, and weighed on a certified bridge you can audit — from a single cage in a workshop to hook lifts across a project.
Read moreFor fabricators, engineers and production plants
Industrial & manufacturing
Your offcuts are a raw material with a market price. We set up segregation at the machine, take the grading argument off the table, and pay a rebate that shows up on your P&L instead of your waste bill.
Read moreFor principal contractors and demolition crews
Demolition & construction
Structural steel bought back at index-linked rates, processed on site where access allows, and reported in the format your client's waste management plan actually asks for.
Read moreFor sparkies, plumbers, mechanics and the weekend clean-out
Public & trade drop-off
Drive on, weigh in, get paid. No appointment, no minimum load, and the same posted rate whether you turn up with a ute tray or a trailer of copper.
Read moreHow a weigh-in works
About fifteen minutes end to end for a ute or trailer load.
- 01
Drive on
No appointment, no booking, no minimum load. Follow the line to the weighbridge.
- 02
Weigh in
Gross weight recorded, photo ID scanned, vehicle logged. About ninety seconds.
- 03
Get graded
A grader calls the grade before you tip. Disagree and we settle it with the XRF gun.
- 04
Get paid
Tare on the way out, docket printed, cash in your hand before you leave. EFT if you'd rather.
Sustainability
Recycling is the easy part. Proving it is the work.
Every tonne we take is diverted from landfill and returned to production. What customers need from us is the evidence — tonnage, destination mill, methodology — in a format their auditor accepts.
- Diversion reports by site or project
- Destination and chain-of-custody records
- Certificates of destruction against a serial list
Do I need ID to sell scrap metal?
Yes. A licensed second-hand dealer in Queensland has to record who sold the metal, so bring current photo identification — an Australian driver licence is the simplest option. We also record the vehicle you arrive in. This applies to every seller, every load, with no exceptions, and it is the main thing that keeps stolen metal out of the supply chain.
How and when do I get paid?
In cash, at the weighbridge, once the tare weight is recorded and your docket is printed. You do not wait on a payment run. If you would rather have it in the bank, ask at the bridge and we will transfer it to an account in your name instead — bring your BSB and account number if that is your preference. Either way you need current photo ID, and the load is docketed the same.
Is there a minimum load?
No. A single trailer of copper offcuts is worth weighing, and so is a full demolition program. You do not need an appointment or an account to drive on with a small load.
How is my metal graded, and can I challenge it?
A grader assesses the load and tells you the grade before anything is tipped, not after. Attachments, moisture and contamination reduce the yield of a load, so they reduce the grade, and we tell you what is being deducted and why before the load is committed. If you disagree on an alloy, ask for the handheld XRF analyser — it settles the question by reading the actual composition rather than anyone's judgement.
Tell us what you've got and we'll price it
A grader comes back inside one business day with indicative rates, a bin recommendation and a collection window. No obligation, no account required.