Electrostatic and magnetic separations for the recovery of metals from electronic waste

The aim of the study was to recover metals from e-scrap using electrostatic and magnetic separation successively. The type of phases in the four magnetic separation products was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Three grain classes were tested: 2.00 - 0.56, 0.56 - 0.32 and 0.32 - 0.10 mm. Based on the tests, it turned out that the separations were the most efficient for grain class in the range from 0.32 to 0.10 mm. The yields of the products obtained from electrostatic and magnetic separations were as follows: in the case of electrostatic separation, 13.12% metals and 86.88% plastics and glass; and for magnetic separation 1.51% of ferromagnetics, 1.56% of paramagnetics and 10.05 % of diamagnetics. In the diamagnetics Cu was dominant, while in the paramagnetics and ferromagnetics CuSn, γ-Fe and Ni, Fe₃O₄, respectively. Pb, Sn were identified in average amounts in all products of magnetic separation.