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By Ernt. W. D.

A membrane based mixed extractant process was developed for selective removal of copper from waste acidic cupric chloride etchant solutions found in printed wire board manufacturing. The process uses a mixture of Adogen 381 (tri-isooctylamine), MOC®-45 (ketoxime) and MOC® 55TD (aldoxime) in a kerosene diluent. The mixed extractants recover the copper from a hydrochloric acid medium and transfers it to a sulfuric acid medium. The process also utilizes unique wetted membranes to separate the aqueous and organic phases. The driving force for these membranes is not pressure but the difference in surface tension between the two phases. By using these membranes, complete phase separation results. There is no physical entrainment contamination as found in conventional systems. The only cross contamination is the solubility concentration of one phase in the other. This however is less than 10 mg/l.

Jan 1, 1998

By Elliot Schwartz, Julian Szekely

"In this paper we describe an experiment that was recently performed on the IML-2 Space Shuttle mission in which the thermophysical properties of molten metals were measured using electromagnetic levitation. In the planning of these experiments calculations had to be performed to predict the levitation and stirring forces, heating rates, sample deformation, and internal flows within the sample. These predictive calculations were essential for both the planning of the experiments and for the re-planning of experimental runs during the actual Space Shuttle mission.Introduction""Materials Processing in the Computer Age"" involves the use of mathematical modeling to obtain a quantitative understanding of the phenomena that govern materials processing operations. Microgravity, or space shuttle experimentation represents a specific case in point here; the very high cost of the space shuttle flights, the very limited flight opportunities that are available, and the tight resources aboard a shuttle clearly mandate that these experiments be very precisely planned and that all possible opportunities for mathematical modeling be fully exploited.The purpose of this paper is to present the results of calculations performed for the planning of a space shuttle experiment involving electromagnetic levitation and wherever possible present a comparison of the computational predictions with both experimental measurements and asymptotic analyses. Finally we shall seek to discuss the practical implications of both the computational methodologies and the potential experimental findings."

Jan 1, 1994

By Nourreddine Menad

Plastic materials have been associated with electric and electronic applications since the early days of the electrical industry. Plastics can amount to 30 percents of the scrap mass. Generally, they are treated with flame retardants such as halogenated ones and they can result in different toxic chemical compounds. These plastics can be used as combustibles in the recovery of copper and precious metals. However, during their combustion, halogenated flame retardants can produce dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzo-furans. The estimated thermodynamic data of several organic compounds resulting from combustion of electric and electronic scrap, have been used in conjunction with the program HSC to calculate the conditions for dioxin and furan formation. The results show that the formation of the dioxins is dependent on the quantities of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine and oxygen reacting in a given system, as well as on parameters such as temperature and pressure.

Jan 1, 1998

By J. D. Ecuyer, L&apos

he microstructure of galvanneal coatings formed on extra low carbon and interstitial free steel substrates has been characterized using electron microscopy (TEM and SEM) and x-ray diffraction. The coatings are found to consist of a mixture of gamma, delta and zeta phases, of which delta is the main constituent. The amounts of each phase influences the powdering resistance of the coating which was evaluated using reverse Olsen testing and 60" bending. For the three heat input conditions considered, IF coatings were always found to contain a significant amount of gamma and only those which retained zeta phase on the surface exhibited a satisfactory powdering resistance. In much the same way, ELC coatings with relatively thick gamma layers performed satisfactorily only when some zeta was retained. It was also found, however, that coatings with minimal zeta and gamma had an excellent powdering resistance. The latter coatings were produced under galvannealing conditions of lower relative heat input. These results indicate that in addition to the zinc bath composition, coating weight and galvanneal thermal cycle, the base steel chemistry also has an effect on the coating microstructure. Knowledge and control of all aspects of galvannealing is therefore essential to consistently produce acceptable coatings.

Jan 1, 1992

By Milton Blander

"A review of concepts and theories for predicting thermodynamic solution properties of multicomponent high temperature liquid solutions is reviewed. During the last 50 years the ability to predict such properties for molten salts, silicates and metals based on the generally known properties of the lower order (often binary) systems has been developed and shown to provide predictions which are quite useful in science and technology. There are many gaps in our understanding of these high temperature solutions, especially for metals, and considerably more work is needed.INTRODUCTIONA number of solution theories and concepts have been developed which reliably predict the properties of multicomponent solutions from those of the lower order systems (often only the binaries). Because there is available data for a large fraction of the important binaries, the capability for making predictions for many multicomponent systems used in metallurgical separation processes is broad and potentially very useful. At the very least, the theories greatly minimize the data necessary for predicting properties of complex multicomponent solutions of molten salts, silicates and metals. It is the purpose of this paper to discuss the concepts which are demonstrably useful. We will discuss simple forms of the theories to make the concepts clear but we will refer to the publications which contain the more complex equations needed to treat the large majority of systems.A simple framework for understanding what we need to know in order to make technologically useful predictions is based on well known thermodynamic principles. In technologies and sciences where molten salts, slags magmas or molten metals are used or studied, one must often calculate the extent of a chemical reaction (or separation) or of phase changes. To do this, one must first write an equilibrium constant, K, for the reaction in terms of the standard free energy change of the reaction, ?G°."

Jan 1, 1996

By J. E. Dutrizac

Fracture-exposed surfaces of sphalerite samples having five different solid solution iron contents ranging from 0.0 wt% to 14.8 wt% Fe were leached for 15 to 120 s at 100°C in 0.3 M Fe(S04)1.5 -0.3 M H2S04 media. The reacted samples were examined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) which provides chemical state information on the first few nanometers of the solid surface. Surface compositions show that the leaching rate increases with increasing solid solution iron content of the sphalerite. Detailed evaluation of high resolution S2p spectra show that the leaching progresses via the formation of polysulphide species. Disulphide species were not detected in any of the experiments. Examination of the Zn2p and Fe2p spectra indicate little change in the chemical states of these elements over the duration of the experiments. Longer leaching times resulted in the generation of elemental sulphur. The ratios of elemental sulphur to dissolved ferrous ions and zinc suggest that less than 5% of the sulphide is oxidized to sulphate. Morphological studies showed that the elemental sulphur commonly formed at a few isolated sites, such as the grain boundaries. Furthermore, euhedral sulphur crystals were often identified. These observations suggest that at least part of the elemental sulphur forms via dissolved sulphide species which are oxidized in solution by ferric sulphate.

Jan 1, 2003

By K. Tozwa

The electrical conductivity of electrolytes for copper electrorefining and electrowinning processes has been reported by many researchers since 1911. The experimental results show that the conductivity increases with an increase in sulfuric acid concentration and decreascs with an increase in copper concentration. In pure copper sulfate solution, however, the conductivity increases with an increase in the copper concentration. After confirming the conductivity of pure and acidified copper sulfate solutions experimentally, the concentrations of hydrogen ion and free (not hydrated) water in the electrolytes were estimated and it was found that the relation between the conductivity of acidified copper sulfate electrolytes and the products of concentration of hydrogen ion and free water is linear. Accordingly, the conductivity of acidified copper sulfate electrolytes increases with an increase in sulfuric acid concentration and decreases with an increase in copper concentration.

Jan 1, 2003

By Daniel S. Gwinner

The tolling, or processing for a fixed fee, of aluminum drosses to recover the metal units is a common practice in the Aluminum Industry. The Dross Toller is acting for the owner, and since most dross processes result in material going to landfill, it is important for the owner of the dross to insure that the toiler is processing the material and handling waste disposal in an environmentally responsible manner. The paper discusses the Dross Toiler Audit Program, first from the Reynolds Metals Company perspective. Included are the reasons the company deems it necessary to audit and a description of the items covered during the audit. Finally, there will be a discussion of the audit from the Tollers perspective - what the Toiler can expect when the auditor arrives.

Jan 1, 1995

By Desmond Cook, Cynthia P. Dogan, Dale Govier, Gary Korth, James C. Rawers

"The microstructural and mechanical properties of iron powders processed in an attrition mill are highly dependent upon the processing environment. Extended high-energy ball milling in argon resulted in nanocrystalline bcc-Fe microstructure, while processing in nitrogen or alloying with carbon resulted in both nanocrystalline bcc-Fe and bct-Fe microstructures. In this U.S. Bureau of Mines study, both X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer analysis were used to show that the infused carbon and nitrogen concentrations were predominantly on the grain boundaries. Explosive consolidation resulted in a fully dense product with microstructure similar to the microstructure of the mechanically processed powder. Hardness values of the compacts correlated highly with grain size, independent of the processing conditions.IntroductionNanocrystalline materials have been theorized and shown to have unique properties that make them interesting for material scientists and promising for material engineering applications. Several conferences have been devoted solely to the techniques of preparing nanostructured materials have been held(l,2,3.). To date, most techniques used to generate nanocrystalline materials produce only a few grams of particles(1). High-energy ball-milling, however, is an efficient and effective technique that can produce substantial quantities of nanocrystalline materials with homogenous chemical composition that cannot be produced by conventional processing techniques(3).Applications and material evaluations of nanocrystalline materials require several grams of solid samples. Because nanocrystalline microstructures' are thermodynamically unstable, producing consolidated macro structures of nanocrystalline material has proved to be very difficult(2,3). In particular, retention of the nanocrystalline microstructure during consolidation of nanocrystalline particles has proven to be a problem. In contrast to many consolidation techniques that require elevated temperatures, explosive compaction uses a shock wave for consolidation( 4,5)."

Jan 1, 1994

By Hong N. Vu, Jitka Jandova

"Gypsum and limestone methods were examined in this study to process zinnwaldite wastes originating from dressing Sn-W ores mined in the Czech Republic. These wastes containing 0.20-0.30% Li and 0.10-0.20% Rb were subjected to magnetic separation to obtain a zinnwaldite concentrate with 1.36% Li and 0.94% Rb. It was observed that processing of the zinnwaldite concentrate with gypsum resulted in almost 96% recovery of Li into aqueous liquors, whilst rubidium extraction was only 25%. At the same time, it is possible to extract almost 92% Li and Rb from the identical zinnwaldite concentrate if the concentrate is processed by limestone method. Lithium carbonate, a final product of both methods was recovered from the refined sulphate solution using K2CO3 as a precipitation agent and/or from unrefined hydroxide solution using gaseous CO2. In the continuation of this study, rubidium will be separated from carbonate solutions after Li2CO3 precipitation as RbAl(SO4)2, an intermediate for Rb2CO3 production. IntroductionLithium is used as an alloying constituent in lightweight alloys, as a heat transfer medium in nuclear reactors and as a component in primary and secondary batteries. With the development of a new generation of electric vehicles, the lithium demand will dramatically grow. Lithium chemicals find extensive application in many industrial branches such as metallurgical, glass, ceramic and pharmaceutical industries. Rubidium compounds are predominantly used in psychiatry and medicine, in magneto-optic modulators, solid-state lasers, phosphors and components of electrolytes for fuel cells. The four most important lithium minerals are amblygonite, spodumene, petalite, and lepidolite. Spodumene LiAlSi2O6 (6.0-7.5% Li2O) and petalite LiAlSi4O10 (3.5-4.5% Li2O) belong to aluminosilcate minerals. Lepidolite (Li.Al)3(Al.Si)4O10(F.OH)2 (3.30-7.74% Li2O), lithium mica, is the most important representative of the mica minerals, a subgroup of the aluminosilicates. It frequently contains 3–5% Rb2O and eventually caesium. Zinnwaldite, which has the general formula K(Li.Al.Fe)3(Al.Si)4O10(F.OH)2 (2-5% Li2O), is regarded as a variety of lepidolite with a high iron content. Commercial amblygonite is a complex phosphate (Li.Na)Al(F.OH)PO4 (up to 9.88% Li2O), however, its deposits have not been commercially exploited because of their small size. Natural brines with a high lithium chloride content are important in the industrial production of lithium [l]"

Jan 1, 2008

By Kenneth C. Mills

Interfacial phenomena can have a dramatic effect on the separation of phases. Furthermore, since they involve surface-active materials, concentrations at ppm levels are enough to cause dramatic effects on separation processes. The effects of (i) emulsification, (ii) contact angle and wettability and (iii) Marangoni flows on phase separation are reviewed.

Jan 1, 1999

By Donald P. Ziegler, James F. Klausner, Srinivas S. Garimella

"By 2015, nearly half the world's population will live in ""water stressed"" areas. Production of fresh water utilizing waste heat from industrial processes has been identified globally as a research priority.About 15% of the electricity required to produce aluminum is lost as waste heat in the off-gas. However, the low temperature (low grade) of the heat limits reuse. The off-gases contain 50-150 ppm SO2 ; tightening regulations coupled with increasing coke sulfur levels are motivating SO2 control, for which seawater scrubbing is attractive for smelters with suitable access.We describe a process that produces fresh water, utilizing the waste heat while scrubbing SO2 . It uses direct contact between seawater and off-gas to humidify the off-gas. The vapor is subsequently condensed. In smelter trials, a unit treating a slip stream produced high quality water in the anticipated quantity, attaining over 95% SO2 scrubbing. Future work involves scaling the process to be economically attractive.BackgroundPopulation growth, coupled with industrialization and urbanization, are increasing demand for water. Water scarcity already affects every continent. Around 1.2 billion people, or almost one-fifth of the world's population, live in areas of water scarcity, and 500 million people are approaching this situation. By 2025, 1.8 billion people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world's population could be living under water stressed conditions (< 1,700 m3 per person annually) [1]. An assessment by the U.S. General Accounting Office revealed that under normal conditions, by 2013, water managers in 36 states in the USA anticipate water shortages, and that the number might grow to 46 states under drought conditions [2].The obvious choice to alleviate water scarcity is the 97% of available water in the oceans, which is saline and requires desalination for use in biological, agricultural and industrial applications. Technologies developed for desalination include Thermal Distillation, Reverse Osmosis (RO), Electro-Dialysis, and Vacuum Freezing. Distillation and RO are the most commercially prominent. Thermal distillation technologies include Multiple Effect Distillation (MED) and Multi-Stage Flashing (MSF). The report commissioned by the World Bank [3] is one of the many excellent references on desalination technologies. According to the International Desalination Association working paper [4], there were more than 17,348 industrial scale desalination plants installed or contracted by 2004. The total production from these plants is on the order of 8.3 billion imperial gallons per day. RO provides 47.2% of the total capacity. The leading thermal process, MSF, provides 36.5% of the total capacity. Although MSF and RO technologies currently provide the most cost effective means for desalination, their drawback is that they are very energy intensive, and whether or not they remain cost effective strongly depends on energy prices and energy supply."

Jan 1, 2012

By H. Saint-Raymond, F. Gruy, P. Gardin, M. Cournil

"The control of inclusion elimination is getting more and more important to obtain clean steel. This paper presents a methodology under development for predicting cluster growth and elimination in ladle - RH system. The first key point is to express the collision efficiency, which is very specific for alumina cluster due to the non-wetting fluid. Second, a description of the two-phase flow in the system is necessary. In our calculations with Fluent CFD package and Lagrangian approach for bubbles, bubble growth is implemented, which improves the predictions. Using global reactor decomposition makes possible the prediction of the time evolution of cluster distribution. Important effect of fractal dimension is demonstrated.IntroductionElaboration of new steel grades requires not only to have a high purity in terms of C, O and N content but also to eliminate particles such as alumina or slag droplets. Flow optimisation making easier inclusion elimination is then a key figure to satisfy cleanliness requirements. Mathematical models of flow and inclusion behaviour are widely used for this purpose (1, 2). But having a predictive tool is still a challenge, because the number of phases is important in steelmaking industry: liquid steel, slag layer, bubbles and inclusions (with a large range of composition and rheology). The paper presents the methodology which is developed at IRSID to predict oxygen content evolution during RH degassing.The main mechanisms which have to be considered are :-inclusion growth by turbulent aggregation of elementary inclusions (keeping in mind that liquid steel is a non-wetting medium for inclusions); the difficulty is to express collision efficiency for alumina particles,-inclusion removal by flotation; the difficulty for alumina clusters stems from the complex morphology of particle; fortunately, the use of fractal concept makes it possible to cope with this problem.The paper describes the general modelling of inclusion removal taking into account the previous mechanisms. Hydrodynamic parameters are obtained by means of Fluent CFD package and a specific coding is developed for cluster growth."

Jan 1, 2001

By J. D. Miller

Gold adsorption from cyanide solutions by activated carbon has been studied at great length during the past decade. Findings from past research are reviewed and discussed with respect to structural features of various carbons, including carbon black, activated carbon, graphite and diamond.

Jan 1, 1991

By R. B. Nourse

The depressed market for Ferrochrome worldwide has forced most producers in this industry to scale down production. Inevitably, many furnaces have been mothballed for prolonged periods, awaiting an upturn in the Ferrochrome market. In contrast, the Platinum industry is experiencing relative stability combined with good prices and they have been looking for cash cows to take advantage of these market conditions. It is, therefore, rather convenient that Platinum and Ferrochrome producers are virtually neighbours in the Bushveld complex of South Afiica, since there is an abundance of spare furnace capacity around (albeit for Ferrochrome). Against this backdrop, Pyromet Technologies (Pty) Ltd, who are currently designing a slag cleaning furnace for Anglo Platinum, was requested to perform pilot scale testwork on a 200kW furnace, in order to establish the suitability to process platinum concentrate and converter slag in a furnace designed for Ferrochrome. This paper provides an overview of the configuration, test conditions, operation and results achieved during the testwork. It also discusses the critical issues, such as refractory consumption, copper cooling and electrical parameters that need to be addressed when converting a Ferrochrome Smelter into a Sulphide Smelter.

Jan 1, 2002

By Michael A. Markowitz, Alok Singh

"Molecular self-assembly of phospholipids and other amphipathic molecules offers a versatile approach to form self-organized microstructures in various morphologies. Stabilization of microstructures in specific morphologies by polymerization renders them useful for practical applications in areas ranging from controlled release technology to template mediated synthesis of metals. Our efforts are focussed on the development of polymerizable biomembranes derived from phospholipids, their properties and utility e.g., as stable templates for studying chemistry at the lipid interface. Polymerized vesicles formed from mixtures of 1,2-bis(tricosa-1 O,12-diynoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, 1, with corresponding lipids having phosphohydroxyethanol,2, or -hydroxypropanol,3, headgroups have been used in electroless metal plating of vesicle surface with gold utilizing selective binding of Pd(NH3)4 2 + to 2 or 3. The surface bound palladium ion served as catalyst for metalization. Metalization of polymerized vesicles constructed from charge neutral diacetylenic phosphocholine,1, did not occur using this process. The headgroup structure of the negatively charged phospholipids and the degree of vesicle polymerization had an effect on the stability of the vesicles after metalization. Vesicles formed from a mixture of 1 with polymerizable diacetylenic phosphatidic acid, nonpolymerizable 1,2- dipalmitoyl phosphohydroxyethanol or 1,2-diacyl phosphohydroxyethanol (from soy lecithin) were not stable to metalization process. The metal coating of the vesicles was examined by electron diffraction and revealed that the gold metal on vesicles was polycrystalline and face centered cubic. The results demonstrate the utility of polymerized synthetic membranes as template for easy and efficient synthesis of nanoparticles. IntroductionPhospholipids, synthetic or natural, provide a simple and straight forward route to construct membranes in a variety of morphologies due to their inherent property of selforganization in the presence of water[1]. Vesicles are closed spherical structures comprised of concentric walls made from lipid bilayers. Vesicles are morphologically simple structures with enormous technological potential. Polymerizable phospholipids prepared by incorporating a polymerizable group in the molecules demonstrate physical properties comparable to their non-polymerizable counterparts and have the added virtue of providing enhanced physical and chemical stability to the membranes[2,3]. The size, shape and properties of the organized assemblies are dependent on the lipid structure and the nature of the aqueous environment[4,5]. The headgroup geometry, surface charge density, and spatial arrangement of the phospholipids are known to affect the surface behavior of the lipid membranes, which is evident through their interaction with other molecular (hormones, antigens, antibodies etc) or lomc species. Since phospholipid headgroup structure and charge can be modified either synthetically or by chemical perturbation of the aqueous medium (e.g., pH or ionic strength), phospholipid membrane surfaces offer a potential for developing novel strategies in those areas which involve the use of molecular reactive sites. One such strategy which could be envisioned explores the use of molecularly engineered phospholipid assemblies to design and prepare template structures to regulate formation of ordered materials [6]."

Jan 1, 1994

By J. R. Bhamidipati, Nagy EI-Kaddah

"Over the years, mathematical modeling has been established as a viable tool for design and analysis of melting and solidification processes. Modeling of electromagnetic casting and melting systems involves three coupled problems -- determination of the containment field, the shape of the meniscus, and the temperature field -- which have to be solved simultaneously. One of the difficulties in numerical simulation of these systems is in defining and gridding the solution domain as the meniscus shape of the liquid region is not known a priori. This paper describes a methodology for solving these coupled problems in a two-dimensional electromagnetic containment field. This method is based on the solution of the electromagnetic, free surface dynamic, and heat transfer equations in a fixed domain in computational space by mapping the physical space into an invariant computational space during the search for the equilibrium shape using a variable non-orthogonal coordinate transformation. This approach, also, eliminates the need for regridding the liquid and solid regions during phase change. This methodology is demonstrated for two electromagnetic confinement systems -- the Magnetic Suspension Melting process and the electromagnetic casting of aluminum. The model predictions are in good agreement with available data for these systems. It is suggested that the methodology presented here is likely to provide a useful tool in the design, analysis, and optimization of electromagnetic confinement systems. IntroductionDuring the past decade, mathematical modeling has emerged as a viable tool for the design, analysis, and optimization of casting and melting processes /1-2/. It is generally recognized that the usefulness of modeling to study the interplay between the various process parameters without resorting to extensive experimentation relies heavily on accurate representation of the physical phenomena in these systems. In modeling electromagnetic confinement casting and melting systems, it is important that the model address all aspects of electromagnetic field interaction with the metal, if accurate predictions are to be obtained /3/. The electromagnetic field affects the heat transfer phenomena primarily through joule heating. In addition, the electromagnetic forces play a key role in heat redistribution in the molten pool via melt stirring, and, in confinement systems, support the molten metal pool."

Jan 1, 1994

By Seyed Ahmad Jenabali-Jahromi

In this paper a meshless method called Finite Point Method (FPM) is developed to simulate the solidification process of continuously cast bloom steel in both primary and secondary cooling region. The method is based on the use of a weighted least-square interpolation procedure. A transverse slice of bloom as it moves with casting speed is considered as computational domain. The two dimensional heat transfer equation together with temperature dependent thermophysical properties is solved in the computational domain. The present work is verified in the mold region by the comparison of the surface temperature simulated by FPM and finite volume method (FVM) and also comparison of solidified shell thickness simulated by FPM and measured on a breakout bloom. For secondary cooling region the validation is done by comparison of the surface temperature simulated by FPM, FVM and thermovision measurements.

Jan 1, 2009

By E. Fregeau-Wu

The mineralogy and grain size distribution of phases in a steelmaking slag and experimental products from the heating of the slag under various conditions were determined to explore the possibility of recycling of the iron and manganese to the blast furnace. The steelmaking slags consisted of three major phases: dicalcium silicate, dicalcium ferrite, and Mg-Mn-wustite. Most of the phosphorus was contained in the dicalcium silicate and to lesser extent in the dicalcium ferrite. Due to the fine grain size of the dicalcium silicate, grinding and magnetic separation required pretreatment to increase the grain size and hence the liberation. Experiments on a steelmaking slag were conducted by heating the slag to 1633-1748°K( and slow-cooling in an inert atmosphere at various rates with or without the addition of fluorspar (CaF2) as a flux. Grain size distribution analyses of the starting material and the slow-cooled products were performed using the SEM-IPP area scan method and the QEM*SEM linear scan method. Comparable and reproducible results were obtained on the same sample using both methods. A size versus volume percent plot showed the increased grain growth most effectively. Examples of the grain size distributions obtained were used to show that a higher soaking temperature prior to slow-cooling, a slower cooling rate, and the addition of fluorspar to the slag promoted grain growth.

Jan 1, 1989

By Anette Mueller, Thomas Schnellert, Sérgio C. Angulo

"The use of automatically sorting technique, to separate gypsum components from recycled material of processed construction and demolition waste (C&DW), is motivated by environmental and economical aspects. Only if the gypsum can be separated the aggregates can fulfill the environmental requirements and also the structural characteristics according to the standards. Furthermore, the separation of red brick can also improve the quality of the aggregates.This paper aims at analyzing the separation of gypsum components and red brick by using the color sorting technique. The impacts on the composition and the envelope density of recycled aggregates are described. Depending on the gypsum content the application of two processing stages (rougher-cleaner) can be necessary to produce aggregates with sufficiently low gypsum content. Additionally, the separation of red brick and concrete is successful. So, the color sorting may be a promising technique to upgrade the quality of mixed C&DW aggregates.IntroductionConstruction and demolition waste (C&DW) is a mixture of different materials. Such mixtures can be used only in low grade applications. If the material is used as certified material for road construction or as aggregate in concrete the concrete particles must be separated from the other building materials. This paper aims at analyzing the separation of gypsum components and red brick by optical sorting. The needed stages of sorting for getting a product quality according to the German Standards are deduced.Gypsum is a building material that is increasingly used for interior works in Germany like it is shown in figure 1 [1]. At present the content of gypsum in C&DW is estimated at about 1 %. Assessments on the basis of material streams of gypsum and concrete and their life spans show that higher gypsum contents of about 3 % must be expected in future [2]. Also in other countries the use of gypsum has grown considerably in the last decades. From the characterization of C&DW available in some cities in Brazil, 4 to 15 % of total amount of C&DW that may arrive at the recycling plant to be processed is excessively contaminated by gypsum. In one of these cities, the average content of gypsum in the C&DW before processing was as high as 2.1 % [3]."

Jan 1, 2008