Aluminium Scrap Grades Explained — Taint/Tabor, Tense, Talon & Taldon

Why Aluminium Scrap Uses T-Names

The aluminium scrap grade naming system, like the copper system, uses short distinctive identifiers from the Recycled Materials Association specifications. Every aluminium grade name begins with the letter T — Taint, Tabor, Tense, Talc, Talon, Taldon, Tassel, Twang, and others. The grades cover wrought scrap, cast scrap, used beverage cans, mixed material, and specialty categories.

The naming convention is industry shorthand. A trader can speak of "Taint/Tabor at LME minus 35" and a counterparty in another country understands precisely what alloy family, what cleanliness class, and what pricing reference is being discussed.

Tablet — Used Beverage Cans (UBC)

Tablet is clean aluminium can scrap, sorted and baled, from used beverage cans (UBC). This is one of the largest single categories of aluminium scrap by volume in many countries. The material is closely tied to consumer recycling collection systems.

Taint/Tabor — Clean Mixed Old Alloy Sheet

Taint/Tabor is one of the most widely traded grades in international aluminium scrap. The specification covers clean mixed old alloy sheet aluminium — old siding, gutters, lithoplate, and similar wrought aluminium items. The grade is named with both Taint and Tabor because the specification covers two related material categories.

Taldon — Mixed Old Cast Aluminium

Taldon is mixed old cast aluminium — old castings free of iron, brass, dirt, and corrosion. Cast aluminium is structurally and chemically different from wrought aluminium, and the separation of these two streams is important for downstream refining.

Talon — Aluminium-Copper Radiators

Talon is automotive radiator scrap with aluminium fins on copper tubing. The grade covers the mixed-metal product as recovered from end-of-life vehicles. Specialised processing separates the aluminium and copper for downstream remelting.

Tassel, Tense, Tepid, Terse — Turnings and Wrought

Tassel covers aluminium turnings — clean, dry, and free of iron, oil, and other contaminants. Tense is aluminium turnings segregated by alloy. Tepid covers wrought aluminium clippings, extrusions, and similar items. Terse is new aluminium foil scrap — clean, dry, and uncoated.

Throb and Twang — Specialty Categories

Throb is painted aluminium siding for refinery feed. Twang is new pure aluminium wire and cable. Each grade has its own niche in the recycling chain and its own pricing reference.

How Prices Are Calculated

Aluminium scrap prices reference the LME aluminium price, with discounts applied per grade reflecting alloy composition, contamination, and recovery yield. Wrought grades and clean alloy grades trade closer to the LME price; cast and mixed grades trade at deeper discounts.

For more on aluminium scrap and the principal markets, see the Aluminium Melting Scrap page on this site.