Recovering small metal fractions from automobile shredder residue (ASR) has traditionally been considered difficult and often uneconomical for many recycling operations. Micro-fines, which can include fine strands of bare copper wire and small aluminium fragments, frequently escape standard separation systems and end up in landfill. However, recent advances in eddy current technology are changing this outlook, enabling recyclers to capture valuable nonferrous metals previously lost in waste streams.

Lakeside Auto Recyclers, a third-generation, family-owned operation located in Carter Lake, Iowa, has demonstrated the benefits of enhanced fines recovery through investment in advanced separation equipment from Eriez. Operating for more than 40 years, the 10-acre facility processes a wide range of metals from automobiles and household white goods. Over the past three years, the company has undertaken a major upgrade of its recycling systems, installing an American Pulverizer shredder followed by multiple eddy current separators to improve nonferrous metal recovery.

To further increase yield, Lakeside Auto added an Eriez Model ST-22 Eddy Current Separator to handle the small ASR fraction. Most recently, the company incorporated the Eriez Ultra High-Frequency (UHF) Eddy Current Separator to target the extra-fine material missed during earlier separation stages. The UHF system is engineered to recover aluminium and bare copper wire fractions as small as 2–3 mm without relying on costly sensor-based or optical sorting technology.

According to Lakeside Auto President Mike Levell, the upgrade has delivered a significant financial return. The UHF enables the facility to recover approximately 50,000 pounds of fine nonferrous metals per month which were previously lost, resulting in a high-grade zorba product with more than 20% red metal content that commands premium prices in the market.

The system is configured as part of a continuous downstream setup, with the UHF unit positioned after the fines eddy system. Levell notes that even a single additional load of recovered fines per month offsets equipment investment, turning previously discarded material into new revenue.

As recyclers look to maximize output and reduce waste, the Lakeside Auto installation highlights how advanced fines recovery can strengthen competitiveness and improve overall plant efficiency.

The Eddy Current Separator from Eriez