RELIABLE iron recycling magnetic separator — the auxiliary separation equipment using a permanent magnetic field or an electromagnet to recover ferrous metals (iron, steel, cobalt, nickel) from industrial waste and to remove magnetic impurities from finished products such as recycled plastic, glass, aluminium and rubber granulate. Working on both dry and wet materials, on coarse and fine particle sizes, this iron recycling magnetic separator is the mandatory stage in any recycling line ahead of the eddy current separator — it first extracts iron and steel through the magnetic field, cleaning the flow for the efficient aluminium and copper extraction stage that follows.
The operating principle of an iron recycling magnetic separator is fundamentally different from that of the eddy current separator — the static magnetic field, or the low-frequency alternating field, attracts and retains the ferromagnetic particles (iron, steel, cobalt, nickel) on the surface of the magnet, while all non-magnetic materials (aluminium, copper, plastic, glass, rubber) continue undisturbed along the conveyor belt. This makes the magnetic separator the first separation stage in any line, capable of extracting iron with minimal energy consumption and with no moving parts on the permanent-magnet variants. Key Advantages of the RELIABLE Iron Recycling Magnetic Separator
• Efficient recovery of iron, steel, cobalt and nickel: The permanent magnetic field or electromagnet of this iron recycling magnetic separator attracts all ferromagnetic materials from the material flow — scrap iron, steel fragments from auto dismantling, nails and screws from construction waste, steel wire from tyre granulate, and the cobalt and nickel components from Li-Ion and NiMH batteries. Recovering iron as a secondary raw material directly reduces the cost of purchasing primary resources and monetizes the metal waste at market price.
• Removal of magnetic impurities from finished products — a purification role: Beyond recovering iron as a valuable product, the magnetic separator performs an equally critical purification role: it removes residual iron and steel fragments that contaminate finished products such as recycled plastic, rubber granulate, aluminium and glass. A plastic granulate containing residual metal fragments has reduced market value and can damage the extruders and granulators in the processing stage. A rubber granulate with residual steel wire does not meet the specifications for synthetic turf. The magnetic separator removes these impurities at the source.
• Mandatory first stage ahead of the eddy current separator: The eddy current separator performs optimally on material from which iron has already been extracted — residual iron in the material flow reduces non-ferrous separation efficiency by disturbing the alternating magnetic field and by contaminating the aluminium and copper fraction with ferrous fragments. This iron recycling magnetic separator prepares the flow for the eddy current stage, maximizing aluminium and copper recovery at the 98% purity documented by RELIABLE.
• Dry and wet operation — adaptable to any type of material: Unlike electrostatic separators that require strictly dry material, the magnetic separator works efficiently on both dry materials (tyre granulate, pre-shredded auto fragments, dry industrial waste) and wet materials or aqueous suspensions (wet ore, wet foundry slag, ash from power plants with high moisture content). This versatility makes it applicable across a wider spectrum of industrial flows than any other separation equipment in the RELIABLE range.
• Operational simplicity — minimal energy consumption on permanent-magnet variants: Permanent-magnet separators consume no electricity to generate the magnetic field — the permanent field attracts iron continuously with zero consumption. Energy is required only for the belt that discharges the collected iron. On electromagnet variants, consumption is controlled and allows the magnetic field intensity to be adjusted for materials with different degrees of magnetism (weakly ferromagnetic vs. strongly ferromagnetic).
• Adaptable to coarse and fine materials — wide particle-size range: The static magnetic field acts efficiently on large iron fragments (structural steel pieces of several tens of cm), on medium fragments (scrap iron crushed to 50–150mm) and on fine particles (steel wire from tyre granulate at 0,5–5mm). The field intensity and the distance between the magnet and the conveyor belt are adjusted to optimize recovery for the specific particle size of the processed material.
• Simplifies the sorting stages — reduces line complexity: The automatic, continuous extraction of iron by the magnetic field eliminates the need for manual sorting of ferrous parts or for complex mechanical pre-sorting ahead of specialized recycling lines. The pre-demagnetized material flow feeds the crushers, eddy current separators and granulators directly, with no manual intervention and no stops to remove blocking ferrous parts.
• Protects downstream equipment from iron impact damage: Iron and steel fragments in the material flow rapidly damage crusher blades, the rollers of eddy current separators and the surfaces of gravity separators. Extracting iron with the magnetic separator ahead of all other equipment in the line dramatically reduces wear and the replacement frequency of downstream wear parts — a direct economic benefit quantifiable over the service life of the line.
Types of Magnetic Separators and Their Applications
A RELIABLE iron recycling magnetic separator is configured in several constructive variants, each optimized for a particular type of application and position in the line:
• Overband / Overbelt (magnet suspended above the conveyor belt): The magnet is suspended above the main conveyor belt and attracts iron from the moving material flow, transferring it onto a side discharge belt. Suitable for extracting large iron from mixed industrial waste and auto shred moving on the main belt — without stopping the flow. The most common type in WEEE and auto recycling lines.
• Magnetic Pulley / Magnetic drum (magnetic head pulley): The conveyor belt's head pulley is magnetic — iron sticks to the surface of the pulley at the end of the belt and falls into the side collector, while the non-ferromagnetic material follows the normal gravity discharge trajectory. Suitable for conveyor belts where magnetic separation is integrated at the discharge end without additional suspended equipment.
• Wet magnetic separator (wet drum separator): The rotating magnetic drum in an aqueous suspension attracts the fine ferromagnetic particles from the slurry — wet ore, slag in aqueous suspension, wet mineral concentrate. The only type that is efficient for separating ferromagnetic particles below 1mm from liquid suspensions, where dry separation does not work.
Specifications — RELIABLE Iron Recycling Magnetic Separator
| Separation principle | Static magnetic field (permanent magnet) or controlled variable field (electromagnet) |
|---|---|
| Recovered materials | Iron, steel, cobalt, nickel and other ferromagnetic materials |
| Secondary role | Removal of magnetic impurities from finished products (plastic, glass, aluminium, rubber) |
| Material type | Dry and wet — coarse and fine particle size |
| Constructive variants | Overband (suspended), Magnetic Pulley (drum), Wet Drum (wet separator) |
| Field intensity | Adjustable on electromagnet; fixed on permanent magnet |
| Position in line | First separation stage — ahead of the eddy current separator and the other separators |
| Energy consumption | Minimal on permanent magnet (discharge belt only); controlled on electromagnet |
| Applicable industries | WEEE recycling, auto shred, tyres, plastic, mining, construction, metallurgy, chemicals |
| Customization | Available — type, size, field intensity on request |
Applications — Where the Iron Recycling Magnetic Separator Is Used
A RELIABLE iron recycling magnetic separator is present as the first separation stage in all recycling lines that process waste with a mixed content of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Auto shred processing lines install the overband magnetic separator above the conveyor belt immediately after crushing the auto fragments — the iron and steel from the body, engine and transmission are extracted within seconds, cleaning the flow for the eddy current separator that extracts aluminium and copper. Every tonne of magnetically extracted iron has direct value at iron smelters and eliminates the risk of the eddy current separator being blocked by hard ferrous parts.
Tyre recycling lines use this iron recycling magnetic separator after the rubber is granulated — the steel wire from steel-reinforced tyres remains in the rubber granulate after the primary shredder and must be magnetically extracted before the granulated rubber is valorized. Rubber granulate free of steel wire is accepted directly by manufacturers of synthetic turf and flooring at the required purity specifications. Explore the full range of Uzinex industrial equipment for complete recycling solutions with magnetic separators and complementary equipment.
The mining and metallurgical industries use wet magnetic separators for concentrating iron ores and for extracting ferrous material from foundry slag — separating fine ferrous material below 1mm from mineral suspensions is possible only through wet magnetic separation, which is inefficient via electrostatic or gravity methods, in line with international standards for processing mineral raw materials and industrial waste . Magnetic Separator vs. Eddy Current Separator — The Essential Difference
The confusion between the magnetic separator and the eddy current separator is common — both are metal separation equipment, but they separate completely different metals through opposite principles:
• Magnetic separator (static field) → extracts the FERROUS metals: Iron, steel, cobalt, nickel — ferromagnetic materials attracted by the magnetic field. It has no effect on aluminium, copper or zinc. The price of recycled iron: ~200–400 €/tonne.
• Eddy current separator (alternating field) → extracts the NON-FERROUS metals: Aluminium, copper, zinc — conductive materials repelled by the alternating magnetic field. It has no effect on iron (which does not generate significant eddy currents). The price of recycled aluminium: 1.800–2.200 €/tonne; copper: 7.000–8.000 €/tonne.
• The mandatory line order: Magnetic → Eddy Current: The magnetic separator extracts iron first, cleaning the flow for the eddy current separator that extracts aluminium and copper at maximum purity. Reversing the order reduces the efficiency of the eddy current separator by disturbing the alternating field with residual ferrous fragments.
• Complementary use, not an alternative: A complete metal recycling line includes both — the magnetic separator for ferrous metals, the eddy current separator for non-ferrous metals. Purchasing an iron recycling magnetic separator without an eddy current unit, or vice versa, leaves metal value unrecovered from the material flow.
How It Works — Magnetic Separation of Iron
• Feeding the material onto the conveyor belt: The mixed material (industrial waste, auto shred, rubber granulate, household waste) is fed onto the conveyor belt with the layer thickness adjusted for maximum exposure of the ferromagnetic particles to the magnetic field — a layer that is too thick reduces the field's access to the ferrous particles inside the layer.
• Attraction of ferromagnetic particles by the magnetic field: The magnetic field of this iron recycling magnetic separator (permanent or electromagnet) attracts the iron and steel particles from the material flow. On the overband variant, the iron is lifted off the main belt and retained on the surface of the magnet or of the adjacent discharge belt. On the magnetic drum variant, the iron sticks to the surface of the head pulley and is discharged to the side.
• Discharging the iron and releasing it from the magnetic field: On overband separators with a moving belt, the belt carrying the collected iron moves it out of the magnetic field, where it falls by gravity into the collection bunker. On drum separators, the iron falls off the pulley into the field-free zone at the discharge end. The non-ferromagnetic material continues undisturbed along the main belt towards the subsequent separation stages.
• Field intensity control on the electromagnet: On electromagnet variants, the operator adjusts the field intensity according to the degree of magnetism of the ferrous materials and their particle size. Higher intensity extracts weakly ferromagnetic particles and fine particles; lower intensity reduces the attraction of adjacent non-ferromagnetic materials contaminated by a stronger field.
• Transferring the cleaned flow to the subsequent separation stages: The iron-free material leaving the main belt is transferred directly to the eddy current separator for aluminium and copper extraction, to the gravity separator or to the electrostatic separator — each stage operating on material pre-cleaned of the residual iron that would have disturbed the operation of the downstream equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions about the RELIABLE Iron Recycling Magnetic Separator
Can the magnetic separator extract stainless steel?
Austenitic stainless steel (the 300 series — the most common stainless steel in the food and medical industries) is non-ferromagnetic or weakly ferromagnetic — it is not attracted by a standard magnetic field. Ferromagnetic stainless steel (the 400 series) is attracted. On WEEE recycling lines with a mixed stainless steel content, the UZINEX team can recommend the type of iron recycling magnetic separator with the right field intensity for maximum extraction of ferromagnetic stainless steel without contaminating the flow. Which type of magnetic separator is suitable for rubber granulate from tyres?
Rubber granulate with steel wire at a particle size of 0,5–10mm requires a magnetic drum separator (magnetic pulley) or an overband separator with a strong magnetic field positioned close to the conveyor belt surface. Fine steel wire is harder to attract than massive iron pieces, requiring a higher field intensity and a minimal distance to the material. The UZINEX team configures the type and field intensity for the specific particle size of your rubber. How often must the permanent magnet be cleaned — does iron accumulate?
On permanent-magnet separators without an automatic discharge belt, iron accumulates on the surface of the magnet and must be removed manually at intervals. Overband separators with an automatic iron discharge belt are self-cleaning during continuous operation — the belt automatically moves the collected iron out of the magnetic field without operator intervention. This variant is recommended for lines with a continuous material flow with a high iron content. Can it be installed above an existing conveyor belt without major modifications?
Yes — the suspended overband variant mounts above the existing conveyor belt at the optimal distance from the material surface, with no modification of the belt or the existing support structure. The mounting distance depends on the thickness of the material layer and the size of the ferrous fragments to be extracted. The UZINEX team checks the existing installation and recommends a mounting configuration with minimal disruption to the operating line. What is the performance difference between a permanent magnet and an electromagnet?
The permanent magnet consumes no energy and requires no cooling, but it has a fixed, unchangeable intensity. The electromagnet consumes energy but allows the field intensity to be adjusted according to the material — a decisive advantage when the material flow varies (household waste with variable composition vs. uniform auto shred). The electromagnet also allows the field to be switched off to clean the magnet surface, unlike the permanent magnet, which retains iron permanently and requires mechanical cleaning. Why Buy the RELIABLE Iron Recycling Magnetic Separator from UZINEX?
• Free consultancy for selecting the type and field intensity: The UZINEX team analyzes the material type, particle size, iron content and hourly flow and recommends the type of magnetic separator (overband, drum, wet) and the field intensity with maximum iron recovery for your specific application.
• Direct integration into the existing RELIABLE recycling line: The magnetic separator integrates as the first stage ahead of the eddy current separator, the crushers and all the other equipment in the RELIABLE range distributed by UZINEX — a line designed, delivered and commissioned by a single source, with unified technical support.
• Extended 60-month warranty and technical support within 36 hours: The 60-month warranty and the guaranteed response time of under 36 hours ensure the continuity of iron recovery — with priority delivery of components and remote technical support for optimizing field intensity as the material varies.
• Protects the investment in downstream equipment: Extracting iron ahead of all other equipment reduces the wear of crusher blades, of the rollers of eddy current separators and of the surfaces of gravity separators — an economic benefit that can be documented through the reduction of the maintenance cost of the entire line over 5 years of operation.
• Direct ROI from monetizing the recovered iron: At outputs of 5–15 tonnes/hour of mixed material with 10–20% iron content, recovering 500–3000 kg of iron per hour through any iron recycling magnetic separator generates direct revenue that justifies the investment in the magnetic separator within a few weeks of operation.
RELIABLE iron recycling magnetic separator — permanent magnetic field or electromagnet for recovering iron, steel, cobalt and nickel and for purifying finished products of ferromagnetic impurities, working on dry and wet materials at any particle size, — the first iron recycling magnetic separator in the line, a mandatory stage for valorizing metals at maximum purity, and it protects the downstream equipment from impact damage caused by ferrous fragments.