Selective continuous magnetic separation of two-component particulate suspensions

The study of single-wire axial-flow high gradient magnetic separation has been extended to two-component suspensions to demonstrate high selectivity in the separation of weakly magnetic particulates. The separator, operated continuously in the diamagnetic capture mode, has multiple outlets to recover the component products and has proven to be capable of clean separations. By making the separator longer, the material throughput rate can be increased by using higher flow velocity and thereby unwanted particle retention is reduced. It is shown here that reduced retention is crucial to the achievement of high selectivity.