Sell Tungsten Heavy Alloy Scrap for Cash

Tungsten heavy alloy — sometimes called heavy metal or Densalloy-type material — is a mix of tungsten powder with small amounts of nickel and iron, pressed and sintered into solid parts. In plain terms: it is tungsten made machinable. Typical grades run 90 to 97 percent tungsten, which makes it extraordinarily dense — noticeably heavier than lead, and far heavier than steel.

You will find it as anti-vibration boring bars in machine shops, crankshaft and rotor counterweights, balance weights in aerospace work, radiation shielding blocks, and machined components from defense and medical work. It is not carbide tooling and it is not lead — it is its own material with its own number, and most general yards misprice it because they rarely see it. I grade it by actual tungsten content with an XRF analyzer, so you get paid for what is really there. This week’s heavy alloy ranges are on Scrap Carbide Prices. My $18–$20/lb standing offer covers clean, sorted inserts, end mills, and drills — heavy alloy is its own material with its own number, and I pay top money for it. Your firm number comes from XRF-testing your actual parts: text photos to 312-880-8174.

Boring bars and dampers

Anti-vibration and heavy-metal boring bars from lathe work — the single most common heavy alloy item in machine shops.

Counterweights and balance weights

Crankshaft counterweights, rotor balance weights, and machined balance components — any size, any quantity.

Shielding and blocks

Radiation shielding blocks, collimators, and machined shielding components from medical and industrial work.

Offcuts, chunks, and turnings

Machining offcuts, broken pieces, and turnings from heavy alloy work — if it tests as heavy alloy, it counts.

How to spot it

Heavy alloy is dark gray, non-magnetic or only faintly magnetic, and shockingly heavy — a small block feels wrong in your hand. If you have a dense gray part and are not sure whether it is heavy alloy, lead, or something else, text a photo to 312-880-8174 and I will tell you straight before you ship anything.

Text photos to 312-880-8174 with a rough weight and your location. I confirm the material from the photos, then XRF-verify the tungsten content — on arrival for mailed lots, in person at pickup for heavy ones — and give you today’s firm number. Small lots mail in; heavy lots get freight or a pickup run — I travel nationwide for serious tonnage. Full process at Sell Carbide Scrap. I also buy carbide inserts, end mills, and brazed tooling from the same shops. Northwest Indiana sellers in Gary and Hammond are on my scheduled trips — see all service areas.

What is tungsten heavy alloy worth?

It depends on tungsten content — typical grades run 90 to 97 percent tungsten, verified by XRF — and I pay top money for heavy alloy on a custom quote. This week’s heavy alloy ranges are on my scrap carbide prices page. Your firm number comes from testing your actual material: text photos to 312-880-8174 to start.

How is heavy alloy different from carbide?

Carbide is tungsten fused with carbon into a cutting material. Heavy alloy is tungsten mixed with nickel and iron into a dense, machinable metal. Different chemistry, different uses, different number — which is why each gets tested separately.

Is heavy alloy the same as lead?

No, and it is worth far more. Lead is soft enough to scratch with a fingernail; heavy alloy is hard and machines like metal. When in doubt, text a photo and I will tell you straight.

Do you buy small pieces and offcuts?

Yes. Offcuts, chunks, broken pieces, and turnings all count — if it tests as heavy alloy, I buy it.

How do heavy lots ship?

Heavy alloy is extremely dense, so even small boxes get heavy fast. Small lots mail in; larger lots go by freight, which I coordinate, or by pickup run.

Do I need paperwork to sell heavy alloy?

A valid photo ID — Illinois law requires it for every scrap purchase. Some heavy alloy comes from defense or aerospace work; if your material has any export or handling restrictions, tell me upfront and we will handle it properly.