Economics of recycling metals and minerals from urban refuse. Technical progress report, 3

Technical Report · Thu Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1971

OSTI ID:7312926

Sullivan, P M; Stanczyk, M H

A physical beneficiation flowsheet was designed by the Bureau of Mines for reclaiming and recycling metal and mineral values contained in municipal incinerator residues, and a continuous processing plant was installed. Residue samples collected from incinerators located in various parts of the country were processed at a rate of 1/2 ton/h. Continuous screening, shredding, grinding, magnetic separation, and gravity concentration techniques were applied to produce metallic iron concentrates, clean nonferrous metal composites, clean fine glass fractions, and fine carbonaceous ash tailings. Research to develop systems for refining and upgrading the reclaimed metals and glass into marketable products is also underway. From the engineering data developed in the continuous processing plant, evaluations of the capital and operating costs for plants with capacities of 250, 400, 670, and 1,000 tons of dry incinerator residues per day were made. Research on a parallel system to separate and recover the metals, minerals, glass, paper, and plastics from raw, unburned refuse is currently underway, as are studies on the use of air classification to separate the refuse into organic and inorganic fractions.

• Research Organization: Bureau of Mines, Washington, DC (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7312926
• Report Number(s): BM-TPR-33
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420900* -- Engineering-- Waste Processing Plants & Equipment-- (-1989)
ALUMINIUM
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
COPPER
ECONOMICS
ELEMENTS
GLASS
IRON
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS RECOVERY
METALS
MUNICIPAL WASTES
OXIDATION
PROCESSING
RECOVERY
RECYCLING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
ZINC