Mazak and zinc die-cast
Mazak is what UK yards call zamak: the zinc-aluminium-copper casting alloy behind carburettors, door furniture, trim and countless small castings. Three ISRI grades cover it, and they are not worth the same.
What Mazak actually is
Mazak is the common British spelling of zamak, a family of zinc casting alloys containing aluminium, magnesium and copper. The name comes from the German initials of those constituents.
It is used wherever a small, dimensionally precise casting is needed cheaply: carburettor bodies, door handles and locks, window winders, model castings, bathroom and furniture fittings, and automotive trim.
Mazak is not a grade in itself. It is the alloy. Which ISRI grade a shipment falls under depends on where it came from and what condition it is in.
The three grades, and why they differ
Score is old zinc die-cast: mixed zamak castings recovered from end-of-life vehicles, appliances and hardware. Natural surface oxidation is acceptable; it must be free of excessive iron inserts, aluminium, lead and non-metallic attachments.
Saves is new zinc die-cast: runners, sprues, rejects and offcuts straight from a die-casting plant, unplated and unpainted. Because it comes from a single known source with a known alloy pedigree, it remelts at high recovery with little flux demand — and it is the most valuable of the three.
Scabs is new plated zinc die-cast: chrome- or nickel-plated production castings and rejects, such as bathroom fittings and automotive brightwork. The plating is real and has to be dealt with, so a deduction applies by agreement.
What reduces the value
Iron inserts are the usual problem. Steel threads, pins and springs are moulded into a great many zinc castings and must be within agreed limits.
Aluminium castings mixed in with zinc are the next most common issue, and they are easy to confuse by eye. Zinc is noticeably heavier for its size — the weight in the hand is the quickest field test.
Corroded material is treated separately. Light surface oxidation is normal on old castings and is expected. A heavy corrosion crust is not, because the zinc has already been lost to it.
How it is bought
All three grades are bought loose or in bulk bags. Old and new material should be kept apart, and plated kept apart from unplated, because combining them means the whole shipment is priced at the lowest common grade.
Sorting is straightforward at source and difficult afterwards, so the separation is nearly always worth doing before the material is weighed in. Shipments are assessed on the material, and the basis is confirmed in writing before collection.
Every grade we trade in this metal is listed on the Çinko page. If you have material to sell, see how to sell non-ferrous scrap metal.
Sık sorulanlar
Mazak and zinc die-cast, explained
Is Mazak the same as zamak?
Yes. Mazak is the usual British spelling of zamak, the zinc-aluminium-copper die-casting alloy family. UK yards say Mazak; ISRI contracts use the grade names Score, Saves and Scabs depending on the material's origin and condition.
How do I tell zinc die-cast from aluminium?
Weight is the quickest test. Zinc is substantially denser than aluminium, so a zinc casting feels noticeably heavy for its size. Zinc castings also tend to have crisper detail and a duller grey fracture.
Which Mazak grade is worth most?
Saves — new, unplated die-cast direct from a casting plant. It has known alloy provenance, no plating and no oxidation, so it remelts at the highest recovery. Old die-cast (Score) and plated material (Scabs) price below it.
Do steel inserts need removing?
Not necessarily, but they must be within agreed limits and declared. Iron has to be separated before remelt, so a shipment heavy with steel threads and pins is priced accordingly.
Is corroded Mazak still worth selling?
Light surface oxidation is normal on old castings and expected within the grade. Heavily corroded material is assessed separately, because zinc that has already converted to oxide cannot be recovered as metal.
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