Aluminum prices soar 20% to hit a multi-decade high! These two companies are making a fortune from war by using "AI visual sorting" in scrap heaps.

Trash is truly turning into gold! The conflict in the Middle East has unexpectedly ignited a gold rush for aluminum. Influenced by the Trump administration's military actions against Iran, global aluminum prices have soared by 20%, hitting a multi-decade high. Capitalizing on this raw material supply crisis, waste recycling startups Sortera and Amp are utilizing leading AI vision and multi-sensor technologies to precisely sort high-value aluminum scrap from trash heaps, feasting on the circular economy opportunities brought about by this geopolitical situation. (Previous coverage: Iranian state media signals US will lift maritime blockade; precious metals and Bitcoin surge as war may head toward a real ceasefire) (Background: Bloomberg strategist Mike McGlone: Bitcoin may continue to lose to precious metals by 2026, cryptocurrency loses key support level) Since the Donald Trump administration launched military actions against Iran this year, the surge in oil prices has been the focus of the market, but the commodities impacted go far beyond that. As approximately 10% of global aluminum is produced in the Persian Gulf region, this Middle East conflict has pushed aluminum prices to historical highs not seen in decades, with an overall increase of 20%. In fact, long before the war broke out, the US government had already listed "aluminum" as a critical mineral. Because the US relies heavily on imports to meet its massive domestic demand for aluminum, a large portion of domestically produced aluminum depends on "recycling." For startups focused on metal recycling, this undoubtedly marks a golden age of business explosion. Matanya Horowitz, CTO of waste sorting startup Amp, pointed out that although aluminum is one of the most recycled materials in the US, according to data from the EPA, the current recycling rate is only about 20%. Horowitz explained: "Aluminum may only account for 1% of total waste, but its trading price usually exceeds $1,000 per ton. It is effectively one of the most valuable single raw materials." To break through the bottlenecks of traditional recycling, these startups are actively integrating AI into waste processing workflows to significantly increase recycling rates and profits: - Sortera: Specializing in high-grade aluminum scrap sorting Indiana-based startup Sortera recently opened its second facility in Tennessee, doubling its processing capacity to 240 million pounds (90% to 100% of which is aluminum). The company uses multiple sensors such as lasers, cameras, and X-ray fluorescence, combined with AI algorithms, to precisely sort "potato chip-sized" scrap metal into different grades of aluminum. Through higher precision sorting, Sortera can squeeze higher profit margins out of every pound of scrap metal. - Amp: Extracting gold from general waste Amp adopts a different strategy; its AI sorting system not only processes recyclables but also filters general waste streams directly. The system combines visible light and infrared cameras to accurately identify wrappers and foil, and distinguish between plastic and aluminum. As trash moves along the conveyor belt, AI directs robotic arms and air jets to blow different materials into specific sorting bins, with an accuracy rate exceeding 90%. Horowitz emphasized: "In metropolitan areas with successful recycling programs, as much as half of the aluminum is still thrown directly into general trash and never enters the recycling system at all." For the metal industry, the new types of AI recycling facilities being built by companies like Sortera and Amp are not just about environmental protection; they are tangible national security strategic supply stations. As geopolitical risks in the Middle East intensify and aluminum prices soar, these innovative projects are becoming one of the largest sources of domestic aluminum resource growth in the US for specific years.