What is the difference between a steel mill, a foundry and a smelter or remelter?
Short answer: A steel mill melts steel scrap and casts it into semi-finished shapes, a foundry melts metals such as cast iron, aluminium or bronze and pours them into moulds to make finished or near-finished parts, and a smelter or remelter melts and refines metals such as aluminium or copper into ingots or billets, and each has its own preferences about scrap, which is why buyers sort material for the right destination.
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List Free →Mills
Large operations that turn steel scrap into slabs and billets for rolling.
Foundries
Smaller operations that cast metal directly into parts, often needing specific alloys.
Smelters and remelters
Plants that melt and refine metals, producing ingots for further processing.
How ScrapTrade Fits In
ScrapTrade buyers supply different destinations, so your scrap can go to whichever suits it best.
What suits the furnace suits your price. ScrapTrade connects you with verified buyers, transparent weighing and escrow-protected payments.
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