Bronze is a commonly used alloy today. While it has been generally made from copper and about 10 to 12% tin, the latter may be replaced with metals like zinc, aluminum, or manganese. It is corrosion-resistant with high tensile strength and great machinability. It is also more affordable too.
Bronze may be used as the ideal metal for bearings, architectural design, tools, pipes and plumbing, clocks and watches, musical instruments, and more — but what happens when this metal is no longer needed? Can bronze be recycled? What are the benefits of doing so? Let’s take a closer look.
The Bronze Recycling Process
Bronze can be 100% recycled to create a new, high-quality metal that can be used to create new, high-quality products. Below is an overview of the process.
Collection
Sorting
Shredding
Melting
Purifying
Solidifying
The metal is first collected by a reputable metal recycling facility. This is often thanks to individuals and businesses dropping off metals, including bronze, that they no longer need rather than just throwing them away.
The bronze will be sorted from all other metals and will be processed through machinery that will squish it together and then cut it into smaller, more workable sizes before being shredded.
Getting the bronze into these small pieces makes it much easier to melt it — which is the next step in the process. With the help of a large furnace, the bronze is melted down using the right amount of heat. The time it takes to do this will vary based on the size of the material.
Next up is the purification process. There are different ways of doing this and each recycling facility will have its own method. The idea behind it is to purify the metal, removing any contaminants so the new products get the purest form of the alloy.
Once again, it is returned to its solid state and sold off to manufacturing companies or dealers to be reused again.
Benefits of Bronze Recycling
Reduce our usage of raw materials
Reduce the cost of production
Reduce the amount of energy used in the process
There are many benefits to recycling bronze — as well as metal in general. For instance, by re-using the raw material it reduces our consumption of this finite resource as it is needed for new products. This eco-friendly way of doing things also reduces the amount of metals we are extracting from natural land areas.
What’s more, the cost of production will then be minimized and the energy used to get through the process will be reduced, too. This means that bronze recycling can significantly lower the overall environmental impact of the manufacturing process.
What Happens if Bronze is Not Recycled?
Now that you understand the importance of recycling bronze, what is the danger if you don’t? Should you even be concerned?
By choosing not to recycle your bronze, you are wasting a very valuable resource — a finite resource. Remember, a bronze alloy is made up of more than one metal. That means you are risking the loss of each of the metals and the waste of energy used to extract them.
Perhaps the biggest concern of not recycling bronze is the impact it will have on climate change in the years ahead.
Where Can Bronze Be Recycled?
Bronze can be recycled nearly everywhere. Search for local recycling areas or scrap metal locations within your community. Many will not only allow you to easily and conveniently drop off your bronze for recycling, but they will usually pay you for doing so.
Getting paid to do something good makes it even more worthwhile.
Learn More About Bronze From Atlas Bronze
If you want to learn more about bronze, then you need to go to the bronze experts. Whether you are looking to purchase bronze or any other metal alloy for your project, Atlas Bronze has just what you need.
Contact us today at (800) 478-0887. Or shop online.
