AN EXTENDED STUDY OF THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SEPARATION OF NONFERROUS METALS FROM INSULATORS

The performance of a single boundary electromagnetic separator is sepa rating mixtures of copper and brass and insulating pieces is examined systematically in a series of experiments that comprises the extension of a previous investigation featuring aluminium. Results are reported that confirm that the previously discovered trends for Al recovery wi th particle size, beam splitter position. and boundary field profile a pply to all metals and that the prediction of experimental results is likewise possible for all metals. The minimum particle size that can b e separated by this device is found to be about 4 mm for copper and 7 mm for brass, compared to 3 mm for aluminium. This variation of partic le size limit and the changes in the field required to separate the di fferent metals from insulators to the same degree are shown to be cons istent with theory.