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Is everything other than heat sinks with nothing on them considered "clean aluminum?" For example, I have a few chunks of aluminum that are clean aluminum with nothing on them. I also have some stuff that's painted, as well as a few heat sinks with the steel tension clasp. How would all this be sorted? The pic is some of what I'm talking about.

If it's clean, it's clean. If it has the tension wires still on it it would be dirty. I
personally think it's worth the effort to remove the tension wires. But that's me. Good luck.

I would remove the tension wire. Most remove pretty easily. Most heat sinks like that are extruded aluminum, which usually pays the best at most yards. The others I would put in painted sheet and cast categories. Sometimes the price is the same but makes it easier at the recycling facility.

I must be doing something wrong. I've yet to successfully remove tension wire. I'd appreciate any advice about how it's done?

Wear good leather glove holding the heatsink, with the other I use sturdy needle nose plier grab one end of the wire, then pull and spin the plier. The wire will wrap on the plier giving you nice leverage as you pull on the wire. Once I got the technique I can burn thru them. Best

I have used a chisel to open up the pinch point on the wire and it falls out. Usually a wood chisel will fit between the fins or spread them apart somewhat.

Thank you both. I had needle nose pliers handy, gave it a try and it worked like a charm!