Current Prices for Scrap Copper Electric Motors in West Virginia
Check the latest daily payouts for Copper Electric Motors in West Virginia. Compare national averages and find local scrap yards paying top dollar for your heavy motor scrap.
Average Copper Electric Motors Price
- Low (up to $0.25): Floor price, typically for small loads.
- Mid ($0.26): A fair deal for standard quantities.
- High ($0.30+): Top-dollar rate. Offered for large commercial loads or by the most competitive buyers.
Pricing verified from 5 live board rates today.
Top Paying Scrap Yards for Copper Electric Motors West Virginia
Don't just toss your heavy motors into the general shred pile. Buyers in West Virginia have varying rates for Copper Electric Motors depending on their current export quotas and downstream processors. Use the list below to compare local yard prices against national benchmarks, and always call ahead to lock in their daily dock rate before hauling a heavy load.
West Virginia Cashin Recyclables
Charleston Area Metal Recycling
Three Rivers Iron Metal
Elkins Metal Recycling
Ashley Metal Recycling LLC
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🚀 List your scrap yard ⟶Comparing Copper Electric Motors to Other Heavy Grades
The #1 rule at scrap yards: if you mix grades, they’ll weigh everything at the lowest rate. See the price gap below — if you have higher-value metal, always sort and weigh each grade separately to avoid leaving money on the table.
Historical Price Trends for Copper Electric Motors
This chart shows where the market is headed. If the line is climbing, prices are rising — you might get a better deal in a few days. If it’s dropping, don’t wait: sell today before yards lower their buy prices further.
Copper Electric Motors: Scrap Yard Price vs. World Market (COMEX)
Avg scrap yard price
World market price (COMEX)
Copper Electric Motors: Spread vs. Exchange — Monthly History
| Period | World price (per lb) | Scrap yard price (per lb) | Spread vs. exchange |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2026 (current) | $5.764324 | $2.43 | -$3.33 (57.8%) |
| February 2026 | $5.880136 | $2.61 | -$3.27 (55.7%) |
| January 2026 | $5.894887 | $2.69 | -$3.20 (54.3%) |
| December 2025 | $5.497742 | $3.30 | -$2.20 (40%) |
| November 2025 | $5.064033 | $3.04 | -$2.03 (40%) |
| October 2025 | $5.050242 | $3.03 | -$2.02 (40%) |
| September 2025 | $4.662367 | $2.80 | -$1.87 (40%) |
| August 2025 | $4.477984 | $2.69 | -$1.79 (40%) |
| July 2025 | $5.482645 | $3.29 | -$2.19 (40%) |
| June 2025 | $4.883233 | $2.93 | -$1.95 (40%) |
| May 2025 | $4.686194 | $2.15 | -$2.54 (54.1%) |
| April 2025 | $4.654267 | $2.79 | -$1.86 (40%) |
| March 2025 | $4.919484 | $2.95 | -$1.97 (40%) |
| February 2025 | $4.558107 | $2.74 | -$1.82 (40%) |
| January 2025 | $4.269774 | $2.56 | -$1.71 (40%) |
| December 2024 | $4.157855 | $2.50 | -$1.66 (40%) |
| November 2024 | $4.199383 | $2.52 | -$1.68 (40%) |
| October 2024 | $4.431839 | $2.66 | -$1.77 (40%) |
| September 2024 | $4.292683 | $2.58 | -$1.72 (40%) |
| August 2024 | $4.121839 | $2.47 | -$1.65 (40%) |
| July 2024 | $4.375242 | $2.63 | -$1.75 (40%) |
| June 2024 | $4.491083 | $2.70 | -$1.80 (40%) |
| May 2024 | $4.75471 | $2.85 | -$1.90 (40%) |
| April 2024 | $4.363717 | $2.62 | -$1.74 (40%) |
| March 2024 | $3.983645 | $2.18 | -$1.80 (45.2%) |
| February 2024 | $3.801776 | $1.70 | -$2.11 (55.4%) |
| January 2024 | $3.811306 | $2.29 | -$1.52 (40%) |
| December 2023 | $3.871226 | $1.78 | -$2.09 (54.1%) |
| November 2023 | $3.720817 | $2.23 | -$1.49 (40%) |
| October 2023 | $3.609306 | $2.17 | -$1.44 (40%) |
| September 2023 | $3.759833 | $1.50 | -$2.26 (60.2%) |
| August 2023 | $3.776097 | $2.27 | -$1.51 (40%) |
| July 2023 | $3.8455 | $2.31 | -$1.54 (40%) |
| June 2023 | $3.804983 | $2.28 | -$1.52 (40%) |
| May 2023 | $3.751484 | $2.25 | -$1.50 (40%) |
| April 2023 | $4.007367 | $2.40 | -$1.60 (40%) |
| March 2023 | $4.02821 | $2.42 | -$1.61 (40%) |
| February 2023 | $4.06475 | $2.19 | -$1.88 (46.1%) |
| January 2023 | $4.115113 | $2.08 | -$2.03 (49.4%) |
| December 2022 | $3.820726 | $2.29 | -$1.53 (40%) |
| November 2022 | $3.674017 | $2.20 | -$1.47 (40%) |
| October 2022 | $3.430419 | $1.94 | -$1.49 (43.6%) |
| September 2022 | $3.455283 | $1.70 | -$1.75 (50.8%) |
| August 2022 | $3.616468 | $2.17 | -$1.45 (40%) |
| July 2022 | $3.4195 | $2.05 | -$1.37 (40%) |
| June 2022 | $4.118667 | $1.85 | -$2.27 (55.1%) |
| May 2022 | $4.257274 | $1.96 | -$2.30 (54%) |
| April 2022 | $4.649533 | $2.79 | -$1.86 (40%) |
| March 2022 | $4.707694 | $2.83 | -$1.88 (40%) |
| February 2022 | $4.502304 | $2.70 | -$1.80 (40%) |
| January 2022 | $4.4345 | $2.01 | -$2.43 (54.8%) |
| December 2021 | $4.332226 | $2.60 | -$1.73 (40%) |
| November 2021 | $4.367567 | $2.62 | -$1.75 (40%) |
| October 2021 | $4.432371 | $2.66 | -$1.77 (40%) |
| September 2021 | $4.2864 | $1.95 | -$2.34 (54.6%) |
| August 2021 | $4.302984 | $2.58 | -$1.72 (40%) |
| July 2021 | $4.347452 | $2.61 | -$1.74 (40%) |
| June 2021 | $4.388783 | $2.63 | -$1.76 (40%) |
| May 2021 | $4.618871 | $2.08 | -$2.54 (54.9%) |
| April 2021 | $4.192633 | $2.51 | -$1.68 (40%) |
| March 2021 | $4.084726 | $2.38 | -$1.71 (41.8%) |
| February 2021 | $3.861 | $1.48 | -$2.38 (61.6%) |
| January 2021 | $3.607435 | $2.16 | -$1.44 (40%) |
| December 2020 | $3.546903 | $2.13 | -$1.42 (40%) |
| November 2020 | $3.21755 | $1.43 | -$1.79 (55.5%) |
| October 2020 | $3.060177 | $1.84 | -$1.22 (40%) |
| September 2020 | $3.0352 | $1.36 | -$1.67 (55.2%) |
| August 2020 | $2.909726 | $1.75 | -$1.16 (40%) |
| July 2020 | $2.867581 | $1.72 | -$1.15 (40%) |
| June 2020 | $2.5983 | $1.56 | -$1.04 (40%) |
| May 2020 | $2.377403 | $1.43 | -$0.95 (40%) |
| April 2020 | $2.28595 | $1.37 | -$0.91 (40%) |
| March 2020 | $2.356968 | $1.41 | -$0.94 (40%) |
| February 2020 | $2.574707 | $1.54 | -$1.03 (40.1%) |
| January 2020 | $2.759935 | $1.66 | -$1.10 (40%) |
| December 2019 | $2.774145 | $1.67 | -$1.11 (39.9%) |
| November 2019 | $2.660717 | $1.60 | -$1.06 (40%) |
| October 2019 | $2.621613 | $1.57 | -$1.05 (40%) |
| September 2019 | $2.615533 | $1.57 | -$1.05 (40%) |
| August 2019 | $2.576597 | $1.55 | -$1.03 (40%) |
| July 2019 | $2.693468 | $1.62 | -$1.08 (40%) |
| June 2019 | $2.671833 | $1.60 | -$1.07 (40%) |
| May 2019 | $2.7395 | $1.64 | -$1.10 (40%) |
| April 2019 | $2.914283 | $1.75 | -$1.17 (40%) |
| March 2019 | $2.902032 | $1.74 | -$1.16 (40%) |
| February 2019 | $2.845929 | $1.71 | -$1.14 (40%) |
| January 2019 | $2.675468 | $1.61 | -$1.07 (40%) |
| December 2018 | $2.724823 | $1.64 | -$1.09 (40%) |
| November 2018 | $2.7578 | $1.65 | -$1.10 (40%) |
| October 2018 | $2.768435 | $1.66 | -$1.11 (40%) |
| September 2018 | $2.712817 | $1.63 | -$1.09 (40%) |
| August 2018 | $2.6905 | $1.51 | -$1.18 (43.9%) |
Copper Electric Motors Scrap Price History — Daily Data
A day-by-day market snapshot in exact numbers. Every day we aggregate buy prices from local scrap yards, recording the average, low, and high. Use this table to track real price movement over recent days.
| Date | Avg price (per lb) | Change | Range (Low/High) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/17/2026 | $0.26 / lb | +$0.01 | $0.25 - $0.30 |
| 1/10/2026 | $0.25 / lb | — no change | $0.25 - $0.25 |
| 5/24/2025 | $0.25 / lb | +$0.05 | $0.25 - $0.25 |
| 3/3/2024 | $0.20 / lb | — no change | $0.20 - $0.20 |
| 2/29/2024 | $0.20 / lb | — no change | $0.20 - $0.20 |
| 12/8/2023 | $0.20 / lb | — no change | $0.20 - $0.20 |
| 9/26/2023 | $0.20 / lb | +$0.05 | $0.20 - $0.20 |
| 9/23/2023 | $0.15 / lb | +$0.03 | $0.15 - $0.15 |
| 2/3/2023 | $0.12 / lb | -$0.03 | $0.12 - $0.12 |
| 10/2/2022 | $0.15 / lb | -$0.10 | $0.15 - $0.15 |
| 6/29/2022 | $0.25 / lb | +$0.05 | $0.25 - $0.25 |
| 6/28/2022 | $0.20 / lb | — no change | $0.20 - $0.20 |
| 5/16/2022 | $0.20 / lb | +$0.05 | $0.20 - $0.20 |
| 1/25/2022 | $0.15 / lb | -$0.05 | $0.15 - $0.15 |
| 9/28/2021 | $0.20 / lb | +$0.10 | $0.20 - $0.20 |
| 5/9/2021 | $0.10 / lb | -$0.05 | $0.10 - $0.10 |
| 3/1/2021 | $0.15 / lb | — no change | $0.15 - $0.15 |
| 2/26/2021 | $0.15 / lb | +$0.05 | $0.15 - $0.15 |
| 11/26/2020 | $0.10 / lb | — no change | $0.10 - $0.10 |
| 9/25/2020 | $0.10 / lb | -$0.02 | $0.10 - $0.10 |
Cashing In on Heavy Copper Electric Motors
When you are hauling heavy iron and copper combos, knowing exactly what is inside your scrap dictates your payout. Our market data shows yards are currently paying a national average of $0.29 per pound for Copper Electric Motors. Depending on the size of the motors and local demand in West Virginia, dock prices typically range from a floor of $0.25 up to $0.50. Because you are getting paid for the estimated copper recovery inside the steel housing, expect these scale rates to sit about 95.1% below the COMEX spot price.
The Scale Master's Guide to Motor Sorting
Do not assume every heavy motor gets the premium copper rate. Yards grade motors strictly on the visible windings and attached garbage. If you leave giant pulleys, heavy mounting brackets, or gearboxes attached, buyers will hammer your price because that extra iron throws off their copper recovery percentage.
| Motor Condition | Yard Reaction |
|---|---|
| Clean Copper Motor | Pulleys removed, no excess steel framing, copper windings clearly visible. Top tier payout. |
| Dirty / Oversized Attachments | Pumps, gear reducers, or massive steel mounts still bolted on. Paid as lower-grade iron or dirty motor. |
Yard Pro Tip: Never trust the color of the windings on modern washing machine, vacuum, or treadmill motors. Manufacturers often use aluminum wire coated in a red copper-colored enamel to save money. Always take a flathead screwdriver or metal file and scratch the windings. If it shines silver underneath, it is an aluminum motor. Trying to slip that past the scale master will get your entire load downgraded to a lower tier, costing you serious money.
Don't Mix Your Motor Grades
Throwing all your electrical scrap into one gaylord box is a rookie mistake that kills your profit. If you toss in Automotive Alternators with your clean Copper Electric Motors, buyers will often drop the whole bin to the lowest common denominator, costing you around $0.17 per pound in lost value. Here is how similar heavy items stack up:
- Alum Motors:Aluminum & Dirty Motors pay much less due to lower recovery, usually sitting between $0.09 to $0.22/lb.
- Transformers: Standard Aluminum & Steel Transformers fetch around $0.10 to $0.15/lb.
- Compressors: Sealed Automotive AC Compressors generally command $0.25 to $0.30/lb.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I take Copper Electric Motors apart to get the copper out?
It depends entirely on your tools and time. Breaking open a cast-iron or thick steel shell to extract the copper 'meatball' takes serious effort. If you do not have a mechanical motor wrecker or a heavy-duty hydraulic shear, it is usually better to sell the motor whole at the $0.29 average rate rather than wasting an hour for just a few pounds of #2 copper.
Why did the scrap yard downgrade my electric motors?
The most common reasons for a downgrade are leaving the water pump attached to a pool motor, leaving the gearbox on an industrial motor, or the buyer spotting aluminum windings instead of copper. Always strip the motor down to just the housing and the internal core.
Are starters and alternators bought at the same price as electric motors?
No, they are processed differently. Automotive alternators and starters have different metallic recovery rates and usually trade in their own distinct categories. Keep them separated in your truck to ensure you get the accurate, maximum price for each specific grade.
Copper Electric Motors scrap prices in West Virginia on the map
The map shows cities in West Virginia with Copper Electric Motors scrap prices. Click a marker or pick a city in the list below to see Copper Electric Motors prices in that location.