If you want to sell scrap metal in Musaffah and walk away happy with the weight and the rate, most of the work happens before the truck leaves your workshop. Here is how we would do it, step by step.
Quick answer: Sort the metal by type, keep copper, brass and aluminium away from steel, and strip off plastic, wood and rubber where you can. Send clear photos on WhatsApp with a rough weight, get the rate, then bring the load to the M42 yard in Musaffah or ask us to plan a larger load. Everything is weighed in front of you.
How should you sort scrap metal before selling?
Sorting is the single biggest thing you control. A yard prices a mixed pile at the rate of its cheapest part, because someone at the yard has to sort it later and that time costs money. The same metal, sorted into clean piles, is worth more per kilo. It also makes the photos easier to judge, which means a firmer rate before you load.
Start with a magnet
Take a fridge magnet or any small magnet to the pile. If it sticks hard, the piece is steel or cast iron. If it does not stick at all, you are looking at a non-ferrous metal such as copper, brass, aluminium, lead or most stainless steel. Some stainless grades pull the magnet weakly, so keep those in their own pile and mention it when you send photos.
Then scrape and look at the colour
For anything non-magnetic, scrape a small spot with a file or a key. Copper shows a salmon pink colour. Brass is yellow, like a gold tone. Bronze is darker and more brown. Aluminium is light, soft and silvery, and lead is heavy, soft and dull grey. Our guide on telling copper scrap grades apart goes into more detail if most of your pile is red metal.
| Metal | Quick check | Keep it apart from |
|---|---|---|
| Copper (pipe, wire, busbar) | Not magnetic, pink when scraped | Brass fittings, insulation, steel clamps |
| Brass and bronze | Not magnetic, yellow or brown, heavy | Copper, steel screws, plastic handles |
| Aluminium | Not magnetic, light, silvery | Steel bolts, rubber seals, glass |
| Stainless steel | Little or no magnet pull, does not rust | Mild steel, aluminium |
| Steel and cast iron | Magnet sticks hard | Everything non-ferrous |
Take off what is not metal
Plastic, rubber, wood, concrete, oil and water all add weight that the yard will not pay metal prices for. Cut cable ties, pull rubber insulation off AC pipe, unscrew plastic covers and empty any containers. You do not have to make everything perfect. Even ten minutes with a pair of cutters can move a pile up a grade.
Send photos on WhatsApp and get the rate
You do not need to drive across Musaffah to find out what your scrap is worth. Send the photos first. A good set of photos lets us give you a rate before you load, so there are no surprises at the yard.
What makes a useful photo:
- One wide shot of the whole pile so we can see the size of the load.
- Two or three close shots of typical pieces, in daylight if possible.
- A close shot of any cut end, label or scraped spot that shows the metal colour.
- A note with your rough weight in kg, or the number and size of items if you cannot weigh them.
If the load is mixed, say so. It is better to hear an honest rate for a mixed load than a high rate that changes when the metal arrives. The rate we give is per kilo and it is for that day, because metal markets move.
What decides the rate you are offered?
Every scrap rate in Abu Dhabi starts from the world metal markets. Copper, aluminium and other non-ferrous metals follow the base prices set on the London Metal Exchange, and steel follows regional demand from mills. On top of that, the yard looks at your load and judges a few practical things:
- The metal itself. Copper and brass sit at the top, then aluminium and stainless, then steel and cast iron.
- The grade. Clean, bright, single-metal pieces are a higher grade than painted, oily, burnt or mixed pieces.
- What is attached. Steel screws in aluminium, brass valves on copper pipe, plastic on cable: all of it lowers the grade or gets deducted.
- The quantity. A larger, steady load is easier to sell on and that is reflected in the rate.
- The day's market. A rate given this week may not hold next week.
That is why we never print a fixed price on this site. The honest answer is always a rate for your load, on the day.
Bringing it to the yard or arranging a larger load
Small and medium loads
Most workshops and individuals bring their scrap to our yard in Musaffah M42, near Bin Mansoor Plastic Factory. A pickup or a small truck is fine. When you arrive, the scrap goes on the scale and you read the scale yourself. If the load needs sorting, we do it with you there, so you can see what went into which pile and why.
Larger loads from sites and factories
If you are clearing a workshop, a warehouse or a project site, call us before you start loading. Tell us roughly what is there and how much. We will talk through the best way to move it, whether it makes sense to separate some metals on site, and what the rate looks like for each part. Machinery, motors and old plant can be priced as they are or broken down. Our page on selling used machinery as scrap covers that side.
Batteries, AC units and anything with oil or gas need a little more care. Old batteries contain acid and lead, and AC systems hold refrigerant gas that should be recovered by a technician before the unit is cut. See our notes on battery scrap and how to handle it before you stack them in a truck.
What documents might a business be asked for?
A person selling a few pieces from home usually only needs their Emirates ID. A company selling scrap from its premises may be asked for more, simply so that the sale is on record. As general advice, have these ready:
- A copy of the trade licence of the company selling the scrap.
- The Emirates ID of the person bringing the load.
- A short letter or email from the company saying the scrap is theirs to sell, if the driver is not the owner.
- A delivery note listing what is on the truck, especially for larger loads.
If a project or a factory needs its own paperwork for internal audit, ask about it when you call, before the load leaves your site. For hazardous items such as lead acid batteries, transformer oil and refrigerant gas, Abu Dhabi has its own rules on storage and transport. Those are set by the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi and Tadweer, and it is worth asking them directly if you handle these items in volume.
How to sell your scrap to Scrap Buyer Musaffah
Sort what you can, take a few clear photos and send them on WhatsApp to +971 52 727 0105. Tell us the rough weight and where the scrap is. We will come back with today's rate per kilo, and you decide whether to load. If you prefer to write, use our contact page and we will reply there.
When you bring it in, the yard is in Musaffah M42, near Bin Mansoor Plastic Factory, Abu Dhabi. The scale is in front of you, the rate is the one we agreed, and any sorting happens where you can see it. Call or WhatsApp for today's rate.
Common questions
Can I get a rate without bringing the scrap to the yard?
Yes. Send clear photos and a rough weight on WhatsApp and we will give you a rate per kilo for that day. If the scrap that arrives matches the photos, that is the rate you get.
Do I need to weigh the scrap before I call?
No, a rough figure is enough to start. If you cannot weigh it, tell us how many pieces there are and their size. The real weight is taken on our scale in Musaffah, and you read it yourself.
Will you buy a mixed load that is not sorted?
Yes, mixed loads are bought every day. The rate is lower because the yard has to sort it, so separating copper, brass and aluminium from steel before you come usually pays for the time.
What should I not bring in the same load?
Keep sealed gas cylinders, closed drums, containers with liquid and anything that still has refrigerant gas out of a normal scrap load. Tell us about them separately so we can talk through the right way to handle them.
Can someone else deliver the scrap for my company?
Yes. It helps if the driver has their Emirates ID and a short note or email from the company confirming the scrap is the company's to sell. For larger loads a delivery note listing the items is useful.
