Windfall

[hughnique]

As we are getting ready for our impending move back to the fatherland in a few weeks time, I have been promising myself that a few lengths of copper pipe and a bucket of brass plumbing fittings were to be destined for the scrappy. I had tried to sell the fittings on Leboncoin but I feel copper is a thing of the past, superseded with plastic mostly. Shoved all on the back of the van and trotted off to the local scrappy, must admit to being a bit anxious as to what the reward would be but after weighing it in, he produced a cheque for 180€, and I was going to take it down the dechet

[Blaze]

Perhaps you don't watch French TV news, but there have been a lot of problems with the theft of copper wire from signalling cables, among other sources. It creates disruption for rail services and is expensive to replace. Copper seems to be very desirable at the moment ...

[Pathca]

Major issue in the UK as well

[exile]

Yes copper prices have gone through the roof although I am not entirely sure why. Supply and demand for sure but I don't know what has changed significantly to affect one or the other of those. Russia does produce copper but only about 4% of world consumption which I would not have thought was enough to generate the price increases we have seen.

[Hotrodder]

With the advent of electric cars there is an increased demand for copper that is used in electric motors. Also the general consumer mindset in the west dictates the production of cheaper consumable appliances that are no longer built to last and are often replaced for something else that is considered more "fashionable" while still serviceable.