How much copper is there in a cable? Copper content by cable type
The scrap value of a cable depends on how much copper it holds. This page carries a table of the copper content, the weight per metre and the amount of copper in a hundred kilos for the most common cable types. The data comes from Romuralli’s own cable database.
Typically 30–85% of a cable’s weight is copper
Copper content varies by cable type. Thin installation conductors (MK, MKEM) and welding cable hold the most copper, up to about 85%. MCMK underground cable is about 75%, ordinary MMJ installation cable about 42% and network cable (Cat5e/Cat6) about 40%. Aerial and coaxial cable hold the least copper, often only 5–15%, because they contain a lot of plastic and aluminium.
The most important figure for a seller is copper per 100 kg: it tells you directly how many kilos of pure copper there are in a hundred kilos of cable. For example, 100 kg of MMJ cable contains about 42 kg of copper.
Today’s price per kilo for copper cable and IT cable
The price is calculated with the same logic as everywhere else on the site and follows the world market price of copper. The price updates automatically.
Before the figures, so that nothing comes as a surprise: the only deduction from the weight is the weighed tare weight — the weight of the empty container or pallet. Nothing is charged for collection or handling. The price per kilo shown below is always rounded down to the nearest 10 cents, never up. This is how the price and the weighing are calculated in full.
Indicative purchase price for sorted, unstripped cable. The final price is confirmed at the weighing on site. In the table, the Price classcolumn tells you which of the two prices per kilo each cable type follows. For an accurate estimate for your own batch, use the cable calculator.
Copper content by cable type
Cables containing copper, ordered by copper content. The weight per metre is an example size from each family.
| Cable type | Copper content | Weight (example) | Copper per 100 kg | Price class | Data quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MK/MKEM/MLMK, MKEM, ML | 85 % | 35: 0.345 kg/m | 85 kg | Copper cable | Verified |
| welding_cablewelding cable, welding lead, H01N2-D | 83 % | 35: 0.415 kg/m | 83 kg | Copper cable | Verified |
| MCMKcopper power cable, underground cable, power cable | 75 % | 3x50/25: 1.937 kg/m | 75 kg | Copper cable | Verified |
| FRHF-EMC/BFSI-EMCFRHF, FRHF-EMC, BFSI-EMC | 72 % | 2x25/16: 1.248 kg/m | 72 kg | Copper cable | Verified |
| solar_DCH1Z2Z2-K, PV1-F, solar panel cable | 60 % | 4: 0.062 kg/m | 60 kg | Copper cable | Verified |
| MCCMKarmoured, steel wire armouring, armoured copper cable | 60 % | — | 60 kg | Copper cable | Estimate |
| MMOcontrol cable, signal cable, 7x1.5 | 52 % | 19x1.5: 0.476 kg/m | 52 kg | Copper cable | Verified |
| H07BQ-F07BQ-F, PUR cable, oil-resistant cable | 45 % | 2x16: 0.6 kg/m | 45 kg | Copper cable | Verified |
| MMJinstallation cable, MMJ 3x1.5, MMJ 3x2.5 | 42 % | 5x1.5: 0.156 kg/m | 42 kg | Copper cable | Verified |
| Cat5e/Cat6Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a | 40 % | Cat5e: 0.032 kg/m | 40 kg | IT and telecom cable | Estimate |
| XMJ-HF/MMJ-HFXMJ, XMJ-HF, MMJ-HF | 40 % | 3x2.5: 0.16 kg/m | 40 kg | Copper cable | Estimate |
| Cat6a_SFTPCat6a, Cat 6A, S/FTP | 38,2 % | Cat6a_SFTP: 0.048 kg/m | 38.2 kg | IT and telecom cable | Estimate |
| MPLMold installation cable | 38 % | — | 38 kg | Copper cable | Estimate |
| MSK/H05VV-FMSK, H05VV-F, extension cord | 37,5 % | 3x1.5: 0.11 kg/m | 37.5 kg | Copper cable | Estimate |
| H07RN-Frubber cable, rubber flex, rubber sheathed cable | 35 % | 5G2.5: 0.33 kg/m | 35 kg | Copper cable | Estimate |
| NOMAK/JAMAKNOMAK, JAMAK, instrumentation cable | 35 % | 4x2x0.5+0.5: 0.085 kg/m | 35 kg | Copper cable | Estimate |
| EV_charging_cableEV-K, charging cable, EV charging cable | 35 % | — | 35 kg | Copper cable | Estimate |
| telephone_pair_cabletelephone cable, twisted pair cable | 30 % | — | 30 kg | IT and telecom cable | Estimate |
| VMOHBU-TLVMOHBU, underground telephone cable, buried telecom cable | 23 % | 3x2x0.5: 0.078 kg/m | 23 kg | IT and telecom cable | Estimate |
| coax_RG6RG6, RG59, coaxial | 15 % | RG6: 0.045 kg/m | 15 kg | IT and telecom cable | Estimate |
| RG11RG-11, RG11 coaxial cable, RG11 aerial cable | 5,4 % | RG11: 0.145 kg/m | 5.4 kg | IT and telecom cable | Estimate |
| BFOU/RFOUBFOU, RFOU, marine cable | — | — | — | Copper cable | Provisional |
| lift cablelift travelling cable, elevator travelling cable, flat cable | — | — | — | Copper cable | Provisional |
Aluminium cables, hazardous ones and ones we do not buy
For some cables we do not publish a fixed price per kilo: aluminium conductors hold little or no copper, and lead-sheathed paper cables are hazardous waste.
| Cable type | Price class | Why |
|---|---|---|
| AHXAMK-WAHXAMK, medium-voltage cable, medium-voltage underground cable | Ask for an estimate | An aluminium conductor with a copper screen — the price depends on the share of copper. Ask for an estimate and we will go through it together. |
| AMCMK/AXCMK-HFAMCMK, AXCMK-HF, AKKJ | Ask for an estimate | An aluminium conductor with a copper screen — the price depends on the share of copper. Ask for an estimate and we will go through it together. |
| AMKAaerial bundled cable, overhead cable, aerial cable | Ask for an estimate | Aluminium cable — we do not publish a fixed price per kilo for it. Ask for a quote. |
| APAKMpaper-insulated aluminium cable, lead cable, old medium-voltage cable | Hazardous waste | We do not currently accept lead-sheathed paper cable at all. It is hazardous waste, not ordinary scrap — do not bring or send it to us. |
| AXMKaluminium power cable, underground cable, AXMK 4x35 | Ask for an estimate | Aluminium cable — we do not publish a fixed price per kilo for it. Ask for a quote. |
| PLKVJpaper-insulated lead cable, copper lead-sheathed cable, PLKJ | Hazardous waste | We do not currently accept lead-sheathed paper cable at all. It is hazardous waste, not ordinary scrap — do not bring or send it to us. |
| fibre_opticoptical fibre, fibre, fiber | Not purchased | Optical fibre contains no copper, so we do not buy it as copper cable. |
Data source, quality classes and correction path
A table ought to be checkable. Here is where the figures come from, when they were updated, how many rows fall into each quality class, and how you get a wrong row corrected.
What the quality classes mean
Verified — the value has been checked against manufacturer data or a standard.
Estimate — the value is based on the typical construction of the cable type, not on any one manufacturer’s document.
Provisional — the value is in use but has not been confirmed yet. Treat it as indicative.
The copper contents are indicative in every class: different cross-sections of the same designation and different manufacturers vary. The final price is always based on the weight weighed on site, not on the figure in this table.
Do you think a row is wrong?
Tell us, and we will check it and put it right. The corrected value goes into the database and onto this page, and the date above changes. We will not defend a row that is wrong — a wrong row is a worse problem for us than it is for you.
Send the correction on WhatsApp or call 040 124 8590 (on weekdays from 5 to 01). The person answering is a human being, not a bot.
How copper content affects the value of a cable
The value of a cable sold as scrap comes from a simple chain: weight × copper content × a price per kilo tied to the market price of copper. The more copper a cable holds relative to its weight, the higher the price per kilo. Our price per kilo follows the world market price of copper and updates automatically.
An example: if you have 100 kg of MMJ installation cable, about 42 kg of it is copper. In network cable (Cat6) the same 100 kg holds only about 40 kg of copper, and in coaxial cable under 15 kg — which is why less is paid for thin data cable than for thick power cable.
You do not need the exact amount of copper yourself: tell us the cable type and the estimated weight and the calculator will give an estimate at the day’s price. The weighing is always done on site before the deal is confirmed.
Questions about the copper content of cable
How much copper is there in MMJ cable?
In ordinary MMJ installation cable about 42% of the weight is copper. The rest is plastic insulation and sheathing. A hundred kilos of MMJ cable therefore holds about 42 kg of copper.
How much copper is there in Cat6 network cable?
In Cat5e and Cat6 network cables copper accounts for about 40% of the weight. In shielded Cat6a cables the share is close to the same. Network cable is thin, so there is little copper per metre.
Which cable has the most copper?
In thick single installation conductors (MK, MKEM) copper can be as much as about 85% of the weight, and in welding cable about 83%. MCMK underground cable is copper-rich too, at about 75%.
How much copper does 100 kilos of cable contain?
It depends on the type: 100 kg of MMJ installation cable contains about 42 kg of copper, 100 kg of MCMK underground cable about 75 kg, and 100 kg of coaxial cable only about 5–15 kg. Use the Copper per 100 kg column of the table as your estimate.
Why is less paid for coaxial and aerial cable?
Aerial and coaxial cables hold little copper (often only 5–15%) and a lot of plastic and aluminium. The copper value per kilo of weight therefore stays clearly below that of installation and power cables.
Sell your cable to Romuralli
We collect a cable batch from your yard, warehouse or building site in Southern, South-Eastern and Central Finland. Weighing on site and fast payment.