The recovery and recycling of metals has always accompanied mankind: since ancient times, damaged and unusable objects made of iron, bronze or metal alloys were subjected to melting processes, allowing the recovery of metal and its transformation into new alloys, reusable for new purposes.
Today, in a world increasingly focused on the circular economy and the reduction of raw material consumption, recovery technologies have evolved enormously. Still, the valorization of ferrous materials remains a key resource for companies operating in the recycling industry: this is why CAMEC develops increasingly efficient and high-performance lines for metal processing.
CAMEC plants are designed to safely and automatically manage the various processing stages and can effectively treat even non-homogeneous material, which often contains non-metallic or non-ferrous components, as is frequently the case with collected iron. Processing eliminates any non-ferrous fractions present in the waste and produces homogeneous material in terms of quality and particle size, ready to be reintroduced to the market and reused in steel and metallurgical cycles.
How a CAMEC plant works for shredding and valorizing collected iron
Like all CAMEC systems, ferrous metal processing lines are built in a modular and scalable way, and designed starting from the specific needs of each client company. The processing path for ferrous scrap normally involves several consecutive and automated stages, which transform undifferentiated metallic waste into homogeneous material with controlled particle size.
The main processing steps are:
- Loading of ferrous scrap
The large shear hopper allows direct, safe, and fast loading with various means, without intermediate stations. Its shape facilitates the placement of mixed materials, ensuring a continuous and productive cycle. - Primary shredding – CR2A rotary shear
The rotary shear performs the first volumetric reduction with high cutting forces. It is designed for continuous operation on mixed materials, minimizing wear and maintaining high energy efficiency. Controlled dimensional reduction prepares the material for the refining stage. - Secondary grinding – MV 2000 vertical hammer mill
The material is then conveyed to the vertical mill, where it undergoes rapid, high-energy fragmentation. The centrifugal action releases light fractions and ensures homogeneous granulometry, ideal for subsequent separation. The MV 2000 mill is also designed to accept and discharge non-shreddable materials up to specific sizes. - Metal separation
Performed using an integrated separation system that removes ferrous materials from the shredded mass with high-efficiency magnetic drums. In the same stage, it is also possible to extract certain specific materials—such as aluminum, copper, or other non-ferrous metals—through Eddy Current Separators (ECS). - Granulometric screening (Trommel)
This separates the fine fraction of shredded waste (light scraps, dust, unrecoverable residues) from the Proler fraction, consisting of ground metal of uniform size, ready for further processing. - Second separation and final refinement
An additional pass through Eddy Current Separators eliminates the last impurities still present in the metal, yielding an even more homogeneous and selected product.
In addition, all CAMEC lines for ferrous material recovery integrate a multi-stage ventilation, suction, and filtration system, necessary to reduce dust and odors generated during processing. This system filters fine dust in compliance with environmental regulations regarding air treatment and emission control, protecting both the environment and human health. It also plays a crucial role in ensuring a safe working environment for operators.
CAMEC plants for collected iron treatment
CAMEC’s collected iron treatment plants are custom-engineered solutions, designed to ensure maximum efficiency. This result is achieved by maximizing process automation and integrating advanced technologies, which guarantee outstanding results in terms of both efficiency and the quality of the finished product.
Moreover, the ability to customize plant size based on each client’s specific requirements ensures optimal results even in highly complex contexts, characterized by heterogeneous input materials or the need to manage large processing volumes.
To learn more about the solutions developed by CAMEC for the recovery and valorization of collected iron, contact our team:
CAMEC technicians are at your disposal to illustrate all the innovations that make our plants increasingly high-performing.
