How do you calculate scrap recovery value?

Multiply scrap mass by reclaim value per kilogram by the recovery yield percentage, then add the processing overhead. With 800 kg at $45/kg, 70% yield, plus $2,000 overhead, the net recovery value is $27,200.

What does the per-kilogram recovery figure mean?

It is net recovery value divided by scrap mass — here $34 per kilogram of scrap ($27,200 / 800 kg). Use it to compare the value density of different scrap streams, such as clean rejects versus contaminated grinding sludge.

Why does recovery yield matter so much?

Yield determines how much of the theoretical metal value you actually capture. At 70% yield, nearly a third of the potential value is lost to oxidation, contamination, and process inefficiency, which is why clean, dry swarf is worth segregating.

Should the processing overhead be added or subtracted?

In this model the overhead line represents the credit structure of the tool's weighted-cost preset. In practice, treat overhead as a cost to net against gross value; here it is shown as a $2,000 fixed component so you can see it separately from the $25,200 variable recovery.

Is it worth recovering rare earth magnet scrap?

Usually yes when the net per-kilogram value clears your handling cost. At $34/kg net in this example, even a modest daily scrap volume pays back segregation and collection quickly, especially versus landfilling material that contains scarce Nd and Pr.

What is a good recovery yield for NdFeB scrap?

Clean, dry reject magnets can exceed 90% recovery, while oxidized wet grinding sludge often falls below 60%. A 70% blended yield, as used here, is typical for a mixed stream and improves markedly if you keep swarf dry and un-oxidized.

Rare Earth Magnet & Motor Materials calculator

Scrap Recovery Value Calculator

Scrap recovery value quantifies the money you can reclaim from rare earth magnet swarf, grinding sludge, and reject magnets after accounting for recovery yield and reprocessing overhead. Recycling coordinators and cost engineers at magnet fabricators and motor plants use it to decide whether to sell scrap to a reclaimer, run an in-house recovery loop, or write it off. With rare earth prices high and supply concentrated, magnet scrap is no longer waste — a NdFeB grinding line can generate thousands of dollars of recoverable value per shift. This tool nets the gross recoverable value against processing cost so you see the real return, not the headline metal value.

What this calculator does

Estimates the recoverable value from rare earth magnet scrap based on scrap mass, payable value per kilogram, and recovery yield.
Use it to value a magnet scrap reclaim stream when deciding between disposal and rare earth recovery.
It calculates net recovery value from a mass of magnet scrap, its per-kilogram reclaim value, the fraction actually recovered, plus the overhead of processing it.

Formula used

Net recovery value = scrap mass x value per kg x recovery yield% + processing overhead
Recovery value per kilogram of scrap = net recovery value / scrap mass

Inputs explained

Magnet Scrap Mass Recovered:
Reclaimed RE Value per Kilogram:
Recovery Yield after Reclaim:
Reclaim Processing Overhead:

How to use the result

Use it when evaluating a scrap-buyer offer, sizing an in-house reclaim program, or building the recovery credit into a part's true material cost.
It uses a single blended recovery value and a flat overhead; it does not distinguish oxidized swarf from clean reject magnets, which recover at very different rates, so validate the yield against an assay.

Current U.S. benchmarks

The producer price index for copper and brass mill shapes stands at 559.593 (BLS, May 2026), up 76.8% from a year earlier. Quotes priced off last quarter's material cost miss this move. Global copper trades at $13,484 per tonne (IMF via FRED, May 2026).
The U.S. has 5,397 electrical equipment and appliances establishments employing about 369,437 workers (Census County Business Patterns, 2023).

Common questions

How do you calculate scrap recovery value? Multiply scrap mass by reclaim value per kilogram by the recovery yield percentage, then add the processing overhead. With 800 kg at $45/kg, 70% yield, plus $2,000 overhead, the net recovery value is $27,200.
What does the per-kilogram recovery figure mean? It is net recovery value divided by scrap mass — here $34 per kilogram of scrap ($27,200 / 800 kg). Use it to compare the value density of different scrap streams, such as clean rejects versus contaminated grinding sludge.
Why does recovery yield matter so much? Yield determines how much of the theoretical metal value you actually capture. At 70% yield, nearly a third of the potential value is lost to oxidation, contamination, and process inefficiency, which is why clean, dry swarf is worth segregating.
Should the processing overhead be added or subtracted? In this model the overhead line represents the credit structure of the tool's weighted-cost preset. In practice, treat overhead as a cost to net against gross value; here it is shown as a $2,000 fixed component so you can see it separately from the $25,200 variable recovery.
Is it worth recovering rare earth magnet scrap? Usually yes when the net per-kilogram value clears your handling cost. At $34/kg net in this example, even a modest daily scrap volume pays back segregation and collection quickly, especially versus landfilling material that contains scarce Nd and Pr.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.