Publications Repository - Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf

Magnetic separation has wide-ranging applications in both mineral processing and recycling
industries. Nevertheless, its conventional utilization often overlooks the interplay between
mineral and particle characteristics and their impact on operational conditions, ultimately influencing
the efficacy of the separation process. This work describes a methodology able to achieve
the comprehensive characterization and classification of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
(WEEE) slag. The primary objective is to establish a meaningful connection between the distinct
properties of slag phases and their influence on the separation process. Our methodology consists
of several stages. Firstly, the WEEE slag is sieved into distinct size classes, followed by classification
into magnetic susceptibility classes by using the Frantz Isodynamic separator. To quantify the
magnetic susceptibility of each class, we used a magnetic susceptibility balance, and to identify
paramagnetic and ferromagnetic fractions and phases within these magnetic susceptibility classes,
we conducted vibrating-sample magnetometer measurements. Finally, to establish a meaningful link
between the magnetic characterization, mineralogical, and particle-level details, Mineral Liberation
Analysis was conducted for each magnetic susceptibility class. This in-depth analysis, encompassing
both particle properties and magnetic susceptibility classes, provides a better understanding of
the separation behavior of different phases and can help to enrich phases with a specific range of
magnetic susceptibility values. This knowledge advances progress towards the development of
predictive separation models that are capable of bridging the gap between theoretical understanding
and practical application in the field of magnetic separation.