{"id":8501,"date":"2016-06-09T12:00:41","date_gmt":"2016-06-09T12:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/?p=8501"},"modified":"2026-07-31T20:00:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T20:00:32","slug":"does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Your Scrap Metal Contain A Trace of the Wrong Material?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"blockTramp elements that typically show up in lower concentrations, or trace amounts, are generally defined as those that are not deliberately added and that cannot be completely removed by typical metallurgical processes. Manufacturers must be aware of tramp elements in their incoming raw materials because even a minute presence of some incorrect metals in an alloy would change the composition and could result in undesired qualities, like surface defects or brittleness in finished products. For example, according to a National Physical Laboratory report<\/a>, \u201cCopper and copper-nickel alloys tend to become less noble with increasing flow rate and to corrode more….\u201d That would be quite a problem for manufacturers in the automotive, aerospace, marine and medical device industries who need to ensure their finished products don\u2019t corrode easily.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not the actual element that is entirely the problem, though.\u00a0Copper<\/a> is an alloying element in some grades of stainless steel and aluminum.\u00a0 It can be a valuable metal when used as the principle alloying element in aluminum<\/a> as it can be strengthened significantly through solution heat-treating. However, as we learned in When is the Value of Copper Less than a Penny?<\/a>, <\/em>it is not a desirable element for mills producing grades of aluminum that are supposed to be copper-free. Also, copper, and tin, can be harmful tramp elements in steels and can directly influence the mechanical properties of steel products.<\/p>\n

A Problem for Scrapyards and Metal Recyclers<\/span><\/p>\n

Because tramp elements can be a problem for manufacturers, they can also be a problem for metal recyclers.\u00a0 Scrap metal recycling is a global industry that takes any metal product at the end of life and turns it into a usable feedstock for creating new metal and new products.\u00a0 According to the latest USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries<\/a>, in 2015, aluminum recovered from purchased scrap in the United States was about 3.61 million tons, of which about 54% came from new (manufacturing) scrap and 46% from old scrap (discarded aluminum products). Aluminum recovered from old scrap was equivalent to about 30% of apparent consumption. Beryllium was recovered from new scrap generated during the manufacture of beryllium products and from old scrap. Beryllium manufactured from recycled sources requires only 20% of the energy as that of beryllium manufactured from primary sources. Bismuth-containing new and old alloy scrap was recycled and thought to compose approximately 10% of U.S. bismuth consumption, or about 80 tons. Recycled chromium (contained in reported stainless steel scrap receipts) accounted for 34% of apparent consumption.<\/p>\n

The report also noted that old scrap, converted to refined metal and alloys, provided 160,000 tons of copper, equivalent to 9% of apparent consumption. Purchased new scrap, derived from fabricating operations, yielded 670,000 tons of contained copper. Of the total copper recovered from scrap (including aluminum- and nickel-base scrap), brass mills recovered 79%; copper smelters, refiners, and ingot makers, 15%; and miscellaneous manufacturers, foundries, and chemical plants, 6%. Copper in all scrap contributed about 32% of the U.S. copper supply.<\/p>\n

Worldwide, about 30% of the total germanium consumed is produced from recycled materials. During the manufacture of most optical devices, more than 60% of the germanium metal used is routinely recycled as new scrap. Germanium scrap is also recovered from the window blanks in decommissioned tanks and other military vehicles.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve only scratched the surface of where recycled metals come from, how they are used, and what they contain.\u00a0 But just as important is knowing how much of that recycled metal contains tramp elements.\u00a0 Recyclers may not be able to control the amount of undesirable elements that show up in the recycling process.\u00a0 Thus it is of utmost importance to analyze the scrap before it goes out the door and verify that outgoing shipments meet customer requirements. Scrap metal recyclers<\/a> have discovered that handheld x-ray fluorescence<\/a> (XRF) analyzers are the best way to provide the elemental analysis needed to positively identify numerous alloys, rapidly analyze their chemical composition at material transfer points, and guarantee the quality of their product to their customers.<\/p>\n

A Problem for Manufacturers<\/span><\/p>\n

Why go through the bother to do elemental analysis several times in one operation?\u00a0 Manufacturers and mills can reject or severely downgrade the load from the originally agreed upon price if contaminants or tramp minerals are found in the load.\u00a0 With growing concerns about the occurrence of tramp elements in incoming raw materials as recycled scrap metal use increases, and the catastrophic effect tramp elements can have if they change the overall composition and qualities of the final product, manufacturers are becoming more diligent in inspecting all incoming metals to ensure they meet the specifications on the paperwork.\u00a0 Many manufacturers, especially ISO 9000 facilities, utilize portable XRF analyzers<\/a> throughout the facilities for quality checks when the metal comes in, after the metals are sorted, and for final analysis before the finished product leaves the facility.<\/p>\n

Determining the purity of metal and percentages of any alloying elements present is a very important quality control step for both the scrap metal recycler, the mill, and the manufacturer.\u00a0 Metals that aren\u2019t composed of the right alloys in the correct percentages, or alloys that contain undesirable tramp elements, not only mean unhappy customers but can actually cause expensive and dangerous material failures. So in this competitive environment, if a scrap recycler thinks they don\u2019t need to verify their material shipments, they could potentially lose business, and drop out of the industry \u201cwithout a trace.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tramp elements that typically show up in lower concentrations, or trace amounts, are generally defined as those that are not deliberately added and that cannot be completely removed by typical metallurgical processes. Manufacturers must be aware of tramp elements in their incoming raw materials because even a minute presence of some incorrect metals in an<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":213,"featured_media":8555,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,7,6],"tags":[],"division":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-8501","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-manufacturing-quality-assurance","8":"category-metals-and-alloys","9":"category-scrap-metal-recycling","10":"entry"},"_selected_authors":[804],"_selected_reviewers":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDoes Your Scrap Metal Contain A Trace of the Wrong Material? - Analyzing Metals<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how to detect trace contamination in scrap metal with accurate material analysis to improve sorting, maximize value, and reduce costly mix-ups.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Does Your Scrap Metal Contain A Trace of the Wrong Material?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn how to detect trace contamination in scrap metal with accurate material analysis to improve sorting, maximize value, and reduce costly mix-ups.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Analyzing Metals\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thermofisher\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-06-09T12:00:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-07-31T20:00:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/06\/istock_000010114208_medium_scrapblock-1024x709.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"709\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"James Stachowiak\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@thermofisher\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@thermofisher\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"James Stachowiak\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"James Stachowiak\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/305c4cced150bf8051918283638d0aab\"},\"headline\":\"Does Your Scrap Metal Contain A Trace of the Wrong Material?\",\"datePublished\":\"2016-06-09T12:00:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-31T20:00:32+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":897,\"commentCount\":5,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2016\\\/06\\\/istock_000010114208_medium_scrapblock.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Manufacturing Quality Assurance\",\"Metals & Alloys\",\"Scrap Metal Recycling\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\\\/\",\"name\":\"Does Your Scrap Metal Contain A Trace of the Wrong Material? - Analyzing Metals\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2016\\\/06\\\/istock_000010114208_medium_scrapblock.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2016-06-09T12:00:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-31T20:00:32+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/305c4cced150bf8051918283638d0aab\"},\"description\":\"Learn how to detect trace contamination in scrap metal with accurate material analysis to improve sorting, maximize value, and reduce costly mix-ups.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2016\\\/06\\\/istock_000010114208_medium_scrapblock.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2016\\\/06\\\/istock_000010114208_medium_scrapblock.jpg\",\"width\":1665,\"height\":1153,\"caption\":\"block of scrap metal\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Does Your Scrap Metal Contain A Trace of the Wrong Material?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/\",\"name\":\"Analyzing Metals\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/305c4cced150bf8051918283638d0aab\",\"name\":\"James Stachowiak\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/2fab0196e7adcc3749f7ca1b5f9a1fe2267bd51d758f8553fe8d13d4d7afd7a1?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/2fab0196e7adcc3749f7ca1b5f9a1fe2267bd51d758f8553fe8d13d4d7afd7a1?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/2fab0196e7adcc3749f7ca1b5f9a1fe2267bd51d758f8553fe8d13d4d7afd7a1?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"James Stachowiak\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/author\\\/jamesstachowiak\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Does Your Scrap Metal Contain A Trace of the Wrong Material? - Analyzing Metals","description":"Learn how to detect trace contamination in scrap metal with accurate material analysis to improve sorting, maximize value, and reduce costly mix-ups.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Does Your Scrap Metal Contain A Trace of the Wrong Material?","og_description":"Learn how to detect trace contamination in scrap metal with accurate material analysis to improve sorting, maximize value, and reduce costly mix-ups.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\/","og_site_name":"Analyzing Metals","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thermofisher","article_published_time":"2016-06-09T12:00:41+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-07-31T20:00:32+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":709,"url":"http:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/06\/istock_000010114208_medium_scrapblock-1024x709.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"James Stachowiak","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@thermofisher","twitter_site":"@thermofisher","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"James Stachowiak","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\/"},"author":{"name":"James Stachowiak","@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/#\/schema\/person\/305c4cced150bf8051918283638d0aab"},"headline":"Does Your Scrap Metal Contain A Trace of the Wrong Material?","datePublished":"2016-06-09T12:00:41+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-31T20:00:32+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\/"},"wordCount":897,"commentCount":5,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/06\/istock_000010114208_medium_scrapblock.jpg","articleSection":["Manufacturing Quality Assurance","Metals & Alloys","Scrap Metal Recycling"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\/","url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\/","name":"Does Your Scrap Metal Contain A Trace of the Wrong Material? - Analyzing Metals","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/06\/istock_000010114208_medium_scrapblock.jpg","datePublished":"2016-06-09T12:00:41+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-31T20:00:32+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/#\/schema\/person\/305c4cced150bf8051918283638d0aab"},"description":"Learn how to detect trace contamination in scrap metal with accurate material analysis to improve sorting, maximize value, and reduce costly mix-ups.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/06\/istock_000010114208_medium_scrapblock.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/06\/istock_000010114208_medium_scrapblock.jpg","width":1665,"height":1153,"caption":"block of scrap metal"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/does-your-scrap-metal-contain-a-trace-of-the-wrong-material\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Does Your Scrap Metal Contain A Trace of the Wrong Material?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/#website","url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/","name":"Analyzing Metals","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/#\/schema\/person\/305c4cced150bf8051918283638d0aab","name":"James Stachowiak","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2fab0196e7adcc3749f7ca1b5f9a1fe2267bd51d758f8553fe8d13d4d7afd7a1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2fab0196e7adcc3749f7ca1b5f9a1fe2267bd51d758f8553fe8d13d4d7afd7a1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2fab0196e7adcc3749f7ca1b5f9a1fe2267bd51d758f8553fe8d13d4d7afd7a1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"James Stachowiak"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals"],"url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/author\/jamesstachowiak\/"}]}},"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":3,"label":"Manufacturing Quality Assurance"},{"value":7,"label":"Metals & Alloys"},{"value":6,"label":"Scrap Metal Recycling"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/06\/istock_000010114208_medium_scrapblock-1024x709.jpg",760,526,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"James Stachowiak","author_link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/author\/jamesstachowiak\/"},"comment_info":5,"category_info":[{"term_id":3,"name":"Manufacturing Quality Assurance","slug":"manufacturing-quality-assurance","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":3,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":155,"filter":"raw","meta":[],"cat_ID":3,"category_count":155,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Manufacturing Quality Assurance","category_nicename":"manufacturing-quality-assurance","category_parent":0},{"term_id":7,"name":"Metals & Alloys","slug":"metals-and-alloys","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":7,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":224,"filter":"raw","meta":[],"cat_ID":7,"category_count":224,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Metals & Alloys","category_nicename":"metals-and-alloys","category_parent":0},{"term_id":6,"name":"Scrap Metal Recycling","slug":"scrap-metal-recycling","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":6,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":92,"filter":"raw","meta":[],"cat_ID":6,"category_count":92,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Scrap Metal Recycling","category_nicename":"scrap-metal-recycling","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13429,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/how-to-identify-aluminum-in-a-scrap-metal-recycling-yard\/","url_meta":{"origin":8501,"position":0},"title":"How to Identify Aluminum in a Scrap Metal Recycling Yard","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"May 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Identifying aluminum in a scrap metal recycling yard is more challenging than it might seem. While aluminum is one of the most widely used and recycled metals, its physical similarities to other materials, combined with the complexity of aluminum alloys, make accurate identification difficult. This challenge has significant implications for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General\/Industry"","block_context":{"text":"General\/Industry","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/general-industry-metals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Scrap metal pieces laying in a pile","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13545,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/how-to-maximize-productivity-in-lightweight-metal-scrap-sorting-at-recycling-facilities\/","url_meta":{"origin":8501,"position":1},"title":"How to Maximize Productivity in Lightweight Metal Scrap Sorting at Recycling Facilities","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"May 18, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Addressing the Challenge of Lightweight Alloy Identification Lightweight metal scrap sorting\u2014especially for aluminum and magnesium alloys\u2014presents a unique operational challenge. While these materials are essential to modern manufacturing and recycling streams, their similar compositions make them difficult to distinguish quickly and accurately. Traditional sorting methods often force a trade-off between\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General\/Industry"","block_context":{"text":"General\/Industry","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/general-industry-metals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Compacted aluminum scraps","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-163265634_alumscrapblocks-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-163265634_alumscrapblocks-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-163265634_alumscrapblocks-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-163265634_alumscrapblocks-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-163265634_alumscrapblocks-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-163265634_alumscrapblocks-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13418,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/buyer-and-seller-beware-how-to-detect-fake-gold-in-current-times\/","url_meta":{"origin":8501,"position":2},"title":"Buyer and Seller Beware: How to Detect Fake Gold in Current Times","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"April 7, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A Practical Guide for Jewelers and Pawn Shop Owners The rise in gold prices and continued market volatility have made precious metals more attractive\u2014not just to legitimate sellers, but also to increasingly sophisticated counterfeiters. For jewelers, cash-for-gold operators, and pawn shop owners, the ability to accurately verify gold authenticity and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General\/Industry"","block_context":{"text":"General\/Industry","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/general-industry-metals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Clasp on a 14k Gold necklace with markings on a black background","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13557,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/how-to-improve-inspection-of-small-metal-parts\/","url_meta":{"origin":8501,"position":3},"title":"How to Improve Inspection of Small Metal Parts","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"May 26, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Article Summary Manufacturers, quality control teams, and field inspectors face a growing challenge when verifying the composition of small metal parts. Components such as fasteners, weld wire, tubing, bolts, and machined pieces are often difficult to analyze accurately. These parts are critical to operational safety and product integrity, yet their\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Manufacturing Quality Assurance"","block_context":{"text":"Manufacturing Quality Assurance","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/manufacturing-quality-assurance\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"small metal fasteners","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13568,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/how-handheld-xrf-technology-exposed-counterfeit-silver-coins-sold-online\/","url_meta":{"origin":8501,"position":4},"title":"How Handheld XRF Technology Exposed Counterfeit Silver Coins Sold Online","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"May 28, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary Counterfeit silver coins are becoming a growing problem in online marketplaces, putting coin collectors, precious metal investors, pawn shops, and bullion buyers at financial risk. A recent \u00a0NBC Connecticut investigation uncovered fake American Eagle silver bullion coins being sold online at prices far below market value. Although the coins\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Precious Metals"","block_context":{"text":"Precious Metals","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/precious-metals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Silver coins and silver bullion","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-482324309.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-482324309.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-482324309.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-482324309.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-482324309.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-482324309.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10286,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/a-valentines-special-best-metal-elements-for-a-sturdy-piece-of-jewelry\/","url_meta":{"origin":8501,"position":5},"title":"A Valentine\u2019s Special: Best Metal Elements for a Sturdy Piece of Jewelry","author":"Mark Lessard","date":"February 10, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A Pleasant Garden article noted that \"from a global perspective, nearly 6 million couples get engaged on February 14th.\"\u00a0It\u2019s no surprise that many of those who \u2018pop the question\u2019 choose to do it on the day known for its message of love and affection. Those who have bought an engagement\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Precious Metals"","block_context":{"text":"Precious Metals","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/precious-metals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"ring in box with Valentine heart decorations","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/02\/istock-96917265_valentinejewelry.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/02\/istock-96917265_valentinejewelry.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/02\/istock-96917265_valentinejewelry.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/02\/istock-96917265_valentinejewelry.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/06\/istock_000010114208_medium_scrapblock.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8501","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/213"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8501"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8501\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8555"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8501"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8501"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8501"},{"taxonomy":"division","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/division?post=8501"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}