The following terms are specified by ISRI  standards. You can find more at isri.org

RED METALS 

Barley No. 1 COPPER WIRE
Shall consist of No. 1 bare, uncoated, unalloyed copper
wire, not smaller than No. 16 B & S wire gauge. Green
copper wire and hydraulically compacted material to
be subject to agreement between buyer and seller.

Berry No. 1 COPPER WIRE
Shall consist of clean, untinned, uncoated, unalloyed
copper wire and cable, not smaller than No. 16 B & S
wire gauge, free of burnt wire which is brittle. Hydraulically
briquetted copper subject to agreement.

Birch No. 2 COPPER WIRE
Shall consist of miscellaneous, unalloyed copper wire
having a nominal 96%copper content (minimum
94%) as determined by electrolytic assay. Should be
free of the following: Excessively leaded, tinned, soldered
copper wire; brass and bronze wire; excessive oil
content, iron, and non-metallics; copper wire from
burning, containing insulation; hair wire; burnt wire
which is brittle; and should be reasonably free of ash.
Hydraulically briquetted copper subject to agreement.

Candy No. 1 HEAVY COPPER
Shall consist of clean, unalloyed, uncoated copper clippings,
punchings, bus bars, commutator segments, and
wire not less than 1/16 of an inch thick, free of burnt wire
which is brittle; butmay include clean copper tubing.
Hydraulically briquetted copper subject to agreement.
Cliff No. 2 COPPER
Shall consist of miscellaneous, unalloyed copper scrap
having a nominal 96%copper content (minimum 94%)
as determined by electrolytic assay. Should be free of
the following: Excessively leaded, tinned, soldered copper
scrap; brasses and bronzes; excessive oil content,
iron and non-metallics; copper tubing with other than
copper connections or with sediment; copper wire from
burning, containing insulation; hair wire; burnt wire
which is brittle; and should be reasonably free of ash.
Hydraulically briquetted copper subject to agreement.

Clove No. 1 COPPER WIRE NODULES
Shall consist of No. 1 bare, uncoated, unalloyed copper
wire scrap nodules, chopped or shredded, free of tin,
lead, zinc, aluminum, iron, othermetallic impurities,
insulation, and other foreign contamination. Minimum
copper 99%. Gauge smaller than No. 16 B & S wire and
hydraulically compactedmaterial subject to agreement
between buyer and seller.

Cobra No. 2 COPPER WIRE NODULES
Shall consist of No. 2 unalloyed copper wire scrap nodules,
chopped or shredded, minimum 97%copper.
Maximum metal impurities not to exceed 0.50% alu-
minum and 1% each of othermetals or insulation.
Hydraulically compacted material subject to agreement
between buyer and seller.

Cocoa COPPER WIRE NODULES
Shall consist of unalloyed copper wire scrap nodules,
chopped or shredded, minimum 99% copper. Shall be
free of excessive insulation and other non-metallics.
Maximum metal impurities as follows:
Aluminum .05% Antimony .01%
Tin .25% Iron .05%
Nickel .05%
Hydraulically compacted material subject to agreement
between buyer and seller.

Wow! It the first time I've read that there's a lot more to plain copper. Since it is classified as red metal, I guess there are also black metals which would probably be iron and steel. How about brass, an alloy of copper and zinc, where would it fall? Thanks.

That is quite an impressive list of distinction for copper. I guess many times we do not think of the magnitude of differences we are dealing with when it comes to classification of metal, and also the reason why the recycling business is not as straight forward as we would like.

Gizmo:

recycling business is not as straight forward as we would like.

Quite true, I've seen some instances when carefully segregated wastes were dumped into one container by collectors so in the end, they were simply hauled to landfills. Sometimes it takes a lot of effort to pick and separate usable materials from the heap and we, as usual, usually takes the easy way out. :D