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In this 2002 image, workers – all women – sort the mixed non-magnetic metals left over after American and European automobiles have been run through massive shredders. Automated processes for accomplishing the same task exist in the developed world, but they can cost as much as U.S.$25 million, and often achieve sorting accuracy in the range of 90% - 95%. By contrast, well-trained and experienced hand-sorters in China typically achieve 99%+ accuracy, at salaries that rarely exceed U.S.$200/month. It is the difference in accuracy, more than the low labor cost, that has accounted for the extraordinary profit margins enjoyed by Chinese processors of mixed metals over the last decade.

The company – Shanghai Sigma Metals – is one of only a small handful of scrap importers that hasn’t broken its contracts

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