Method of segregating metallic components and impurities

In a process of fragmenting and segregating used metallic containers having a body portion and a lid portion fabricated from different aluminum alloys, a method of removing tramp impurities therefrom, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a feedstock comprised of said containers and having mixed therewith tramp impurities, said alloys having different incipient melting temperatures;
• (b) heating the feedstock to a temperature sufficiently high to initiate incipient melting of the alloy having the lowest incipient melting temperature;
• (c) agitating said heated feedstock sufficiently to cause said alloy having the lowest incipient melting temperature to fragment to provide a fragmented alloy and an unfragmented alloy and to cause said fragmented alloy to scour tramp impurities from said unfragmented alloy;
• (d) segregating said fragmented alloy and said tramp impurities from the unfragmented alloy;
• and
• (e) separating said fragmented alloy from said tramp impurities.