Metal recycling is the process of turning old metal items into new and useful products. In this process, the metal is collected, cleaned, and reused, instead of throwing it away. 

Below is the simple explanation of the main steps involved in metal recycling.

Collection of Metal Waste

The first step in metal recycling is collecting metal waste. This step involves gathering metal from many places such as homes, factories, commercial buildings, construction sites, and old vehicles. Common metal items include cans, wires, appliances, tools, and scrap metal.

After collecting metal, it is placed in recycling bins to the recycling centers. Businesses collect metal in large containers to prepare the metal for reuse. 

Sorting the Metal

After collection, the metal is sorted into different types. Metals need to be separated because every metal can be different from others with its own properties. Some metals are light, while others are heavy. Some are magnetic, and others are not.

This step helps make the recycling process easier and cleaner. Proper separation of metals is important for more efficient and quality recycling.

Cleaning the Metal

Once the metal is collected and sorted, it is then cleaned. Many old metal items contain dirt, paint, plastic, or food waste on them, and cleaning removes these unwanted materials. This step is important in metal recycling because clean metal melts better.

When a metal is melted properly it produces higher-quality recycled products. Cleaning may involve washing, brushing, or simple removal of non-metal parts. 

Breaking Down the Metal

After cleaning, the next step is breaking down the metal, it includes breaking large metal items into smaller pieces. This step makes them easier to further handle and recycle. Smaller pieces take up less space and are easier to melt later.

When metals are broken down into smaller pieces, it is easier to remove any remaining non-metal material. This step speeds up the recycling process.

Melting the Metal

The next step in recycling is melting the metal. The small metal pieces are heated in large containers until they melt completely. Different types of metals melt at different temperatures, so they are usually melted separately.

The metal is turned into a liquid form, which is important to reshape the metal. This step is beneficial because it uses less energy than making metal from raw material.

Purifying the Metal

Once the metal is completely melted, the next step is to purify it. This means removing any leftover dirt or unwanted materials. This step is important, because purification helps improve the quality of the recycled metal.

This step is performed to make sure the recycled metal is strong and safe to use again. Clean and pure metal can be used to make many new products.

Shaping the Metal

The final step in recycling is shaping the metal into new sizes and shapes. The purified and melted metal is shaped into sheets, bars, or other forms. After giving metals different shapes, these are then sent to manufacturers.

Recycled metal then can be used to make many products such as cans, tools, car parts, building materials, and household items.