- Copper Stripping Services in South Africa Expected to Surge
- UN Trade and Development Agency (UNCTAD) expects Copper prices to surge – fueling demand for scrap copper.
- The Trade in Scrap Copper is a Lifeline for more than just Copper Thieves
- Why is it Better to Strip Copper Before Selling to the Scrap Dealer?
- Copper is a recycler’s dream!
Copper is a strategic commodity in the energy transition and the digital economy, yet supply constraints and long project lead times reveal structural shortfalls.
Five countries hold over 50 per cent of the world’s total reserves. Chile possesses the largest copper reserves, with about 20%. Australia and Peru each account for 10%, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Russian Federation each hold 8%. The remaining 44% is spread across other nations. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has largely untapped reserves of high-grade copper, offering significant growth potential.
In 2023 we saw 4.5 million metric tons of copper produced from secondary refining, which uses recycled copper (scrap). Much of this expansion has been driven by China, which has become the world’s leading copper refiner, accounting for 45 per cent of global output.
According to the International Copper Study Group, nearly one-third of global copper use in 2023 came from recycled sources.
In 2023, the top importers of Copper ores and concentrates were: China, Japan, European Union, Korea and Germany. The top exporters of scrap copper were: United States, European Union, Germany, Japan and France.
According to a May 2025 report by UNCTAD; “Recycling will be vital. With primary output falling short and 80 new mines needed by 2030, copper scrap is fast becoming a strategic material.”
Coming from a long line of electricians in Gqeberha I can positively attest to the ‘hidden value’ in scrap copper wire.
As a youngster of 12 years old one of my tasks during my school holidays was to strip the heaps of scrap copper salvaged from building sites and premises that were re-wired. We would fashion ‘blades’ from hacksaw blades and reclaim the ‘shiny bright’ copper.
That pile of scrap copper cable in the workshop was built up over 12 months and the revenue realised from the sale of the stripped copper paid for all bonuses and a slap up Christmas Party for employees.
Scrap dealers today pay top dollar (rand!) for stripped copper – ranging from R80 to R150.00 per kilogram – only to registered businesses selling their copper.
The copper thieves get very low prices for three main reasons:
- They burn the plastic off
- They are not legitimate businesses
- They are not VAT registered.
The Problem With Manually Stripping Copper Cables for Scrap:
- Time consuming – it takes time to strip a single cable down to ‘shiny bright’ status
- Dangerous – homemade blades and other knives represent a real danger
- Tiring – back breaking work
- Theft – the cables lie around for longer leading to temptation.
The Solution To Manually Stripping Copper Cables for Scrap:
- Purchase a stand alone purpose made copper cable stripping machine OR
- Pay a ‘friendly electrician’ to strip the copper on your behalf.
Copper cable stripping machines range in price from $100 to thousands of dollars. Getting them into SA also adds expenses like duties, tax and shipping so one can expect to pay a minimum of R12 000 landed before commissioning expenses. Yes, we at Stratlec recently went through the process of ordering a copper stripping machine and can report that it took four months to arrive and once we had paid the import duties, VAT and commissioned the machine on it’s own portable stand we were in for just over R23 000.00.
We at Stratlec have been ‘testing the market’ to see if we can offer this copper stripping service with our own machine to fellow electricians and have had some success.
At present our agreement with our peers is that they pay us a percentage of the copper stripped – in return we make the machine available, they use our premises electricity, we teach their employee how to strip and then get the best price that we can for the copper scrap. In some instances the electrician has received up to 30% more than he/she normally gets per kilogram AFTER paying us our percentage. So, pretty much a win win for both parties.
Copper ‘hoarders’ in Nelson Mandela Bay (Gqeberha, Kariega and Despatch) are welcome to FOLLOW THIS LINK to enquire about the Stratlec Copper Cable Stripping service.
The global copper industry is entering a pivotal phase—one that calls not only for increased production, but also for smarter, more inclusive, and technologically driven growth strategies. Reducing trade barriers, building industrial capabilities, and embracing innovation will be central to ensuring that copper-rich developing countries benefit more equitably from the green and digital transitions.
Moreover, mining alone will not meet future copper demand. Circular economy strategies, such as scaling up recycling and secondary copper production, will be essential in closing the gap between supply and demand.
Viewing copper scrap as a strategic material is great news for the recycling industry.
Video: Copper – The New Gold
Boilerplate and Editor’s Notes.
More Info on Copper – The New Gold here:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MyPE
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StratonElectrical/
CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.
First Published here: https://mypr.co.za/copper-the-new-gold/ – MyPR is a free press release site distributing releases from well known brands, small business and artists to on and off line publications and social media.
Did You Know? Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful area with its excellent grazing, abundant water and healthy climate.