Improving the recovery of copper from electric cable waste derived from automotive industry by corona-electrostatic separation

The aim of this work is to demonstrate the possibility of using electric field forces for the recovery of copper from a fine PVC/Cu granular mixture of low metal content (less than 15%), obtained as PVC fraction in the recycling process of electric cable waste from automotive industry, using vibrating table technology. Electrostatic separation of copper granules which are impurities in the PVC fraction, increased the overall recovery of copper close to 100%. Granular size classification proved to be a very useful operation in the electrostatic separation process of a particular mixture. The -0.63 mm size class contains the majority of the copper granules and the electrostatic separation allows the recovery of up to 95% copper contained in the granular waste, at purity higher than 99.8%. Copper represents less than 1% in the +0.63 mm size class and can also be recovered with high purity by improving the chopping technology of the cable waste, as well as the separation between the copper and the high conductivity rubber granules.

Automated summary

This work demonstrates the use of electric field forces for recovering copper from a fine PVC/Cu granular mixture, with the electrostatic separation achieving high recovery rates and purity, especially in the -0.63 mm size class where copper granules are mainly concentrated. Copper recovery close to 100% with purity higher than 99.8% is possible through improved chopping technology and separation methods.