Designing and fabrication of a low cost magnetic separator for beach sand separation

Abstract

The heavy mineral deposits of Sri Lanka are widely spread over the coastal area. The mining industry is looking forward for an effective method for heavy mineral separation with the low cost equipments, which suit the local environment requirements to reduce the overheads. The major deposit at Pulmoddai, Trincomalee is a well known Ulmenite deposit in Sri Lanka. The state company is currently engaged in processing using imported separators, specifically magnetic separators for ore dressing. But they are expensive and also difficult in operating, due to their outdated mechanism. In this context, the research project was launched to design and fabricate a low cost magnetic separator for beach sand separation. Through literature studies, an effort was made to add new features with innovative ideas to suit the purpose of the design. A prototype was fabricated in laboratory scale. The model was fabricated with a low cost in the laboratory is light weight, more portable, easier to assemble & dismantle. Future modifications are also possible with variable parameters. The separator was optimized for beach sand separation.