Slags deserve our attention – they are essential raw materials that are created during the production of pig iron or crude steel. In general, there are two main production processes. In the iron ore-based process, pig iron is produced from oxidized ores in a blast furnace. The pig iron is subsequently processed into crude steel in an LD oxygen converter with scrap additives. With this option, the crude steel is produced by recycling steel scrap in an electric arc furnace. Depending on the process, this is referred to as blast furnace slag or steelworks slag.
Slag makes a valuable contribution to the circular economy, as almost all of the slag produced by industry can and is used in the production of cement and building materials, as an aggregate for road construction and as a fertilizer.
Neuson Hydrotec GmbH, based in Linz, Austria, has been an established and reliable global supplier of mobile and stationary jaw crushing technology for slag recycling companies and well-known steelworks for many years. In response to the increasing demands of the industry – to close and recycle material flows in the best possible way and prevent landfill costs – it has developed the MRP403000, a mobile screening and processing plant.
The track-mounted MRP403000 (“MRP” for Metal Recovery Plant) was designed to screen the fed or crushed bulk material directly on site according to grain size and also to separate the material according to magnetic properties in order to ensure the recovery of valuable iron content – which can be returned directly to industry.
The bulk material is fed into the vibro-feeding and dosing unit using a wheel loader or excavator, whereby the bulk material is separated according to grain size classes in the downstream vibrating screen. The required or produced grain sizes can vary widely due to customer-specific screen tensioning. The enrichment or discharge of ferrous material is ensured by means of magnetic separators above the discharge belts. Depending on requirements, the resulting fractions are either fed onto downstream continuous conveyors or stockpiled directly.
The system essentially consists of the following assemblies:
- Vibro-feeding and dosing unit for converting discontinuous feeding into continuous feeding of the bulk material into the system.
- A vibrating sieve for separation into up to 4 grain fractions
- Up to 3 magnetic separators for separating magnetizable bulk materials
- The discharge belts for continuous discharge of the individual fractions
- Power engine, either electric or combustion engine with hydraulic system to drive the components
- Electrical system for controlling and regulating the engine and the hydraulic system
- of the frame construction with track chain drive for relocating the assemblies