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Non-Ferrous Aluminum
Aluminum Castings
Grade: Tense/TrumpMedium Tier
Mixed aluminum castings from automotive and industrial sources
Market Price EstimateUpdated Daily
$2,050/ MT
+115 (5.9%)vs yesterday
Verified specifications & market data
Chemical Composition
Elemental breakdown by percentage weight.
Standard composition limits
Values represent maximum allowed percentage unless otherwise noted.
Physical Properties
Material form, density, and contamination specifications.
Post-consumer aluminum casting scrap; automotive engine blocks, cylinder heads, transmission cases, wheel hubs; industrial machinery housings, equipment frames; foundry rejects; direct smelter feedstock; high compositional heterogeneity; established casting alloy scrap supply
Acceptable Inclusions
- Mixed aluminum casting alloys (2000-7000 series)
- Silicon 8-15% (casting alloy critical component)
- Copper <5% (casting alloy acceptable)
- Iron <2% (casting tolerance higher)
- Light corrosion and oxidation
- Grease/oil residue (minimal acceptable)
- Chrome plating <2% (automotive trim)
- Lead solder <1% (trace acceptable)
Prohibited Materials
- Ferrous castings or heavy steel mixing (>2% iron if debatable)
- Stainless steel components (non-aluminum mixing)
- Unknown material composition (must be identifiable aluminum)
- PCB or electronic components
- Hazardous coating contamination
- Heavy corrosion damage affecting structural integrity
Quality Assurance
Testing protocols, sampling methods, and acceptance criteria.
Sampling Protocol
frequencyRandom stratified sampling; ensure diverse casting types/sources represented
maximumQuantity100-150 samples per shipment
minimumQuantity1-2 tonnes or 20-40 casting samples
percentage10-15% of lot
stratificationSample across different casting types if mixed in single lot
Acceptance Limits
all Criteria Must PassMaterial must be aluminum castings; alloy composition verified; foundry remelting compatible
alloy CompatibilityIdentified as foundry-compatible casting alloys
aluminum ContentAl 85-99%
casting Form ConfirmationSolid metal castings identified; automotive or industrial types confirmed
copper LimitCu <5%
iron LimitFe <2%
material IdentityConfirmed aluminum castings
plating LimitChrome plating <2%
silicon AcceptanceSi up to 15%
Weight Tolerance
measurementVerified by certified scale; weight certificate required for lots >5 tonnes
variance±4% from purchase order weight
Required Test Methods
Visual Inspection
Purpose
- Confirm aluminum castings (not ferrous, not mixed metals)
- verify solid metal form
- assess contamination/condition
Acceptance Criteria
- Aluminum castings apparent
- no visible ferrous/stainless mixing
- solid metal form confirmed
- characteristic silvery aluminum appearance
Procedure
- 100% visual of all samples
- weight/density assessment
- confirm aluminum character
- identify casting types (engine block, wheel, transmission case, etc.)
Magnetic Test
Purpose
- Exclude ferrous contamination or steel casting mixing
- verify aluminum non-magnetic character
Acceptance Criteria
- Minimal magnetic response or non-magnetic (aluminum expected)
- strong magnetism flags ferrous contamination
Procedure
- Magnet test on sample castings (minimum 10-20 samples)
- confirm aluminum non-ferrous character
- any strong magnetic response triggers investigation
Casting Alloy Type Assessment
Purpose
- Categorize casting alloy series and source (automotive vs. industrial)
- assess foundry compatibility
Acceptance Criteria
- Identified as automotive or industrial casting alloys
- Al-Si or Al-Cu based
- foundry-compatible types
Procedure
- Visual characteristics analysis
- XRF alloy composition confirmation
- source documentation review
- identify casting type (engine block, wheel hub, transmission, etc.)
XRF Spectrometry
Purpose
- Verify Al 85-99%
- document casting alloy composition (Si, Cu, Mg, Zn)
- assess all elements
- confirm foundry compatibility
Acceptance Criteria
- Al 85-99%
- Si acceptable (up to 15%)
- Cu <5%
- Fe <2%
- all other elements within foundry specification
Chrome/Plating Residue Assessment
Purpose
- Evaluate chromium plating from automotive wheels/trim
- assess residue levels
- confirm foundry compatibility
Acceptance Criteria
- Chrome plating <2%
- acceptable automotive trim residue
- no excessive coating contamination
Procedure
- XRF surface analysis on sample castings (especially wheel hubs)
- visual inspection for paint/plating
- confirm residue within tolerance