Aluminium dross treatment apparatus

An aluminum/dross separator apparatus comprising

• a container, said container defining an outlet adjacent the floor thereof for draining separated liquid aluminum from said container,
• at least one mixer blade inside said container, said blade being mounted on a vertically arranged rotatable shaft,
• upper and lower bearings for said shaft,
• drive means located beneath said container for rotating said shaft and blade relative to said container,
• an annular shield for said lower bearing secured to said shaft at a location vertically above said outlet, said shield extending down to a position adjacent the floor of said container, and said shield being positioned to encompass said lower bearing, and
• an annular stationary member corresponding in shape to said shield, said stationary member being secured to and upstanding from said floor of said container, said stationary member supporting said lower bearing, and said shield and said stationary member being spaced one from another so as to define a nominal clearance between said shield and said stationary member, said clearance being such as to prevent dross from passing therethrough but being such as to not hinder rotation of said shaft relative to said container.