A new white paper from Eriez highlights separation equipment that efficiently upgrades Zurik to a more desirable and profitable Zorba fraction while also reducing scrapyard fire hazards.
The white paper, written by Eriez Recycling Market Manager Mike Shattuck, explains that stockpiles of Zurik generate a significant fire risk due to the hot metals surrounded by flammable debris. It details the procedure of transforming relatively low-value Zurik material into a copper-rich, high-value Zorba product that is easier to market and sell. The size reduction and liberation of Zurik is key to ensuring this process improves profitability.
Shattuck says, "By upgrading Zurik into Zorba, a processor transforms difficult to market, low-value Zurik that can be a fire hazard into a high grade, highly sought-after and copper-rich Zorba. This copper-rich Zorba also commands a higher price than standard Zorba and is also easier to market and sell."
According to the white paper, equipment utilized within the Zurik to Zorba process consists of a ring mill, small drum type magnetic separator, high frequency eddy current separator and a stainless steel magnetic separator. Achieving maximum recovery and grade of the Zorba (+95 percent) requires the technology of an ultra-high frequency eddy current separator. Standard eddy current separators are only capable of recovering material coarser in size due to less frequency changes found in this type of magnetic circuit design and the larger size distribution.
The full report, Processing Zurik to Zorba, can be found here.
