331492 Secondary Smelting, Refining, and Alloying of Nonferrous Metal (except Copper and Aluminum)

Official definition

This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in (1) alloying purchased nonferrous metals and/or (2) recovering nonferrous metals from scrap. Establishments in this industry make primary forms (e.g., bar, billet, bloom, cake, ingot, slab, slug, wire) using smelting or refining processes.

Source: US Census Bureau, 2022 NAICS descriptions.

When to use a different code

Census classifies these close-sounding activities somewhere else. Businesses mainly engaged in:

• Recovering aluminum and aluminum alloys from scrap and/or alloying purchased aluminum are classified in U.S. Industry 331314, Secondary Smelting and Alloying of Aluminum.
• Sorting, breaking up, and wholesaling scrap metal without also smelting or refining are classified in Industry 423930, Recyclable Material Merchant Wholesalers.
• Recovering nonferrous metals from scrap and rolling, drawing, or extruding shapes in integrated facilities are classified in U.S. Industry 331491, Nonferrous Metal (except Copper and Aluminum) Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding.
• Operating facilities where commingled recyclable materials, such as paper, plastics, used beverage cans, and metals, are sorted into distinct categories without also smelting or refining are classified in Industry 562920, Materials Recovery Facilities.
• Recovering copper and copper alloys from scrap and making primary forms, and/or alloying purchased copper are classified in Industry 331420, Copper Rolling, Drawing, Extruding, and Alloying.

Source: US Census Bureau, 2022 NAICS cross-references.

Activities listed under 331492

The Census index assigns these 32 activities to this code. If your business matches one, this is your code.

• Alloying purchased nonferrous metals (except aluminum, copper)
• Detinning scrap (e.g., cans)
• Germanium recovering from scrap and/or alloying purchased metals
• Gold recovering from scrap and/or alloying purchased metals
• Ingot, nonferrous metals (except aluminum, copper), secondary smelting and refining
• Iridium recovering from scrap and/or alloying purchased metals
• Lead recovering from scrap and/or alloying purchased metals
• Magnesium recovering from scrap and/or alloying purchased metals
• Metal powder and flake nonferrous (except aluminum, copper) made from purchased metal
• Nickel recovering from scrap and/or alloying purchased metals
• Nonferrous alloys (except aluminum, copper) made from purchased nonferrous metals
• Nonferrous alloys (except aluminum, copper) made in integrated secondary smelting and alloying plants
• Nonferrous metals (except aluminum, copper) secondary smelting and refining
• Paste, nonferrous metals (except aluminum, copper), made from purchased metal
• Platinum recovering from scrap and/or alloying purchased metals
• Powder, nonferrous metals (except aluminum, copper), made from purchased metal
• Precious metals recovering from scrap and/or alloying purchased metals
• Recovering and refining of nonferrous metals (except aluminum, copper) from scrap
• Recovering silver from used photographic film or X-ray plates
• Refining nonferrous metals and alloys (except aluminum, copper), secondary
• Secondary refining of nonferrous metals (except aluminum, copper)
• Secondary smelting of nonferrous metals (except aluminum, copper)
• Selenium recovering from scrap and/or alloying purchased metals
• Silver recovering from scrap and/or alloying purchased metals
• Silver recovering from used photographic film or X-ray plates
• Smelting and refining of nonferrous metals (except aluminum, copper), secondary
• Smelting nonferrous metals (except aluminum, copper), secondary
• Superalloys, nonferrous based, made from purchased metals or scrap
• Tin recovering from scrap and/or alloying purchased metals
• Tungsten carbide powder made by metallurgical process
• Zinc dust reclaiming
• Zinc recovering from scrap and/or alloying purchased metals

Source: US Census Bureau, 2022 NAICS index file.

SBA size standard for 331492

To count as a small business for SBA loans and federal contracts under NAICS 331492, your business (including affiliates) must not exceed 850 employees. Check your business.

Source: SBA table of size standards, effective March 17, 2023.

Closest UK SIC 2007 codes

There is no official one-to-one link between NAICS and UK SIC. These codes share the same international class (ISIC Rev. 4: 2420), so treat them as a starting point and check the definition.

• 24200Manufacture of tubes, pipes, hollow profiles and related fittings, of steelUK SIC

Built from Census concordances 2022→2017 NAICS and 2017 NAICS→ISIC Rev. 4.

Similar codes to compare

• 331491Nonferrous Metal (except Copper and Aluminum) Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding