Old zinc-base die-cast scrap (ZAMAK) from auto parts, hardware and toys — iron ≤30%. Remelted into secondary ZAMAK ingots for die-casters.

ISRI Grade Name: Saves

ISRI Description and Specification

Saves is the ISRI designation for old zinc-base die cast scrap — post-consumer and post-industrial zinc alloy die castings from end-of-life products, including automotive components, hardware fittings, toys, electrical components, and consumer goods. The material may consist of whole or broken zinc die castings, with or without minor iron or foreign attachments — meaning that complete assemblies with bolted steel components may be acceptable within the iron content limits. Lots must be free of zinc borings, turnings, or dross (which belong to other specifications), and free of melted or re-solidified zinc pieces (which represent an already-processed material). The key exclusion threshold is iron content: lots exceeding 30% iron by weight are disqualified from the Saves specification, as the high iron level makes metal recovery uneconomical. Unmeltable materials (rubber gaskets, plastic housings, steel inserts above threshold) and volatile components (solvents, hydraulic fluid residues) are both deductible from the payable metal weight.

Alloy Composition and Processing

Zinc die cast scrap processed from Saves lots is predominantly ZAMAK-family alloys — ZAMAK 2, 3, 5, and 7 (Zinc-Aluminium-MAgnesiuM-Koper) — which contain approximately 4% aluminium, 0.03–1.35% copper, and 0.02–0.06% magnesium with the balance zinc. These are the most widely used zinc die casting alloys for automotive, hardware, and consumer goods applications. Secondary zinc smelters and die-cast alloy ingot producers process Saves through a pre-sorting and de-ironing step (magnetic separation), followed by melting in batch or continuous furnaces, flux treatment, and casting into ZAMAK alloy ingots for resale to die-casters. Contamination management — particularly the removal of steel, aluminium beyond spec levels, and organic material — is the primary processing challenge for Saves lots.

Who Uses Saves Scrap

Secondary zinc alloy ingot producers are the primary consumers of Saves scrap, converting it into ZAMAK-grade secondary alloy ingots for sale to die-casting foundries. In India, automotive die-casters producing zinc die-cast components for OEM and aftermarket use (door handles, lock assemblies, fuel system components, instrument panel fittings, wiper mechanisms) are significant consumers of secondary ZAMAK ingot derived from Saves processing. Hardware manufacturers (builders’ hardware, industrial fasteners, electrical fittings), toy manufacturers, and consumer electronics accessory producers are also end-users. Zinc galvanizing operations may accept some Saves material if the alloy contamination profile is within tolerance for galvanizing kettle use, though pure galvanizing zinc (SHG or CGG grade) is the preferred feedstock.

Market and Trade Notes

Zinc scrap pricing is referenced to the LME zinc official settlement price, with ISRI grades traded at negotiated discounts reflecting iron attachment levels, organic contamination, and the processing complexity of mixed-grade lots. Saves is typically the baseline die-cast scrap grade; cleaner and newer grades (Scabs for new unplated zinc die castings) trade at narrowing discounts or small premiums. India’s growing automotive and consumer goods manufacturing base sustains strong demand for secondary ZAMAK alloy, supporting robust import flows of Saves and related zinc scrap grades from the USA, Europe, Japan, and Southeast Asia.