Mill Berry vs Birch/Cliff: No.1 vs No.2 Copper Scrap Compared
Mill berry (ISRI Barley) is No.1 copper — clean, bare, bright, unalloyed wire, 99.9%+ pure. Birch/Cliff is No.2 copper — unalloyed but tarnished, painted, oxidised, or coated, at roughly 94–96% recoverable copper. The difference is contamination, and contamination is money: No.2 copper trades at a wider discount to the LME because more copper is lost when it's refined. Here's exactly how to tell them apart and what the gap costs.
The one-line difference
Both grades are unalloyed copper — neither is brass or bronze. The dividing line is cleanliness. Mill berry is No.1: nothing but bright, uncoated copper wire. Birch/Cliff is No.2: still copper, but carrying coatings, solder, paint, heavy oxidation, or thin/tinned wire that lowers the recoverable yield.
| Property | Mill Berry — No.1 | Birch/Cliff — No.2 |
|---|---|---|
| ISRI code | Barley | Birch / Cliff |
| Copper content | 99.9%+ (bare bright) | ~94–96% recoverable |
| Condition | Clean, bright, uncoated | Tarnished, painted, soldered, or coated |
| Typical sources | Stripped electrical wire | Tinned/thin wire, pipe with solder, roofing, oxidised copper |
| Alloy content | None (unalloyed) | None (unalloyed, but contaminated) |
| Price vs LME | Smallest discount | Wider discount |
What ISRI Barley (mill berry) allows
Barley is No.1 bare bright copper wire: clean, untinned, uncoated, unalloyed copper wire and cable, no thinner than No.16 B&S gauge, free of burnt brittle wire. If it's bright, bare, and heavy enough, it's Barley. For the full specification and buying detail, see our mill berry copper guide.
What Birch/Cliff (No.2) allows
Birch and Cliff are the ISRI codes for miscellaneous unalloyed No.2 copper. They cover copper that is still essentially pure metal but is not clean enough for No.1 — for example:
- Tinned or coated copper wire
- Wire thinner than the No.1 minimum gauge
- Soldered copper, copper with paint or lacquer
- Heavily oxidised or lightly attached copper
Because a refiner recovers less than 100% of the copper from a No.2 load, the grade is priced on that lower yield — commonly quoted around 94–96% recoverable, though the exact figure depends on the load.
Why the gap matters on a container
On container-scale tonnage, the discount difference between No.1 and No.2 is large enough to change the economics of a shipment. Sorting borderline material out of a No.2 pile and into No.1 — stripping insulation, removing solder joints, separating tarnished from bright — is often the highest-return hour of work in the whole load.
How to tell which grade your load is
- Colour: bright, salmon-pink copper is likely No.1. Dull brown, green, or black oxidation points to No.2.
- Coating: any tin, solder, paint, or enamel pushes wire to No.2.
- Gauge: hair-thin or tinned wire is No.2 even if it's clean.
- Attachments: fittings, steel, or insulation must be removed to reach No.1.
Where mill berry and Birch/Cliff sit against cathode, ingot, and insulated cable is laid out in the copper grades guide. If you're selling, sorting to the right grade directly raises your payout — see how to sell copper scrap.
Buying or selling No.1 or No.2 copper in volume?
Get today's LME-linked rate for Barley and Birch/Cliff, FOB Port Everglades.
Get a QuoteFrequently asked questions
Is mill berry No.1 or No.2 copper?
Mill berry is No.1 copper. It is the trade name for No.1 bare bright copper wire, specified under the ISRI Barley code at 99.9%+ purity.
What is Birch/Cliff copper?
Birch and Cliff are the ISRI codes for No.2 copper — unalloyed copper that is tarnished, painted, soldered, coated, or thin-gauge, with roughly 94–96% recoverable copper content.
Why does No.2 copper cost less than No.1?
Because a refiner recovers less pure copper from it. Coatings, solder, oxidation, and thin gauges reduce the yield, so No.2 is priced at a wider discount to the LME benchmark.
Can I upgrade No.2 copper to No.1?
Often, yes. Stripping insulation, removing solder joints and fittings, and separating bright wire from tarnished or coated wire moves material from No.2 to No.1 and raises the price you receive.