Process and apparatus for separating solid mixtures

Apparatus for separating solid mixtures comprising:

• a separation tank containing water;
• an elutriation column installed in said separation tank;
• said elutriation column including a vertical separation column having a first side feed arm located at a selected height and extending at a selected angle from the vertical separation column and a second side overflow pipe at a selected height spaced above the first side feed arm and extending at a second selected angle from the vertical separation column into a floaters discharge port in the separation tank;
• a solid feed mixture being applied through the first side feed arm to the vertical separation column;
• control means forcing water from the separation tank upwardly through the vertical separation column starting at a bottom end of the vertical separation column at a controllable velocity causing targeted floater materials to move upwardly in the vertical separation column and heavier sinker materials to continue to sink;
• a recovery tank receiving an overflow stream including targeted floater materials being discharged only from the second side overflow pipe into the floaters discharge port from the separation tank;
• and the heavier sinker materials being discharged from the bottom end of the vertical separation column;
• and water from said recovery tank being returned to the separation tank through a water return port at a top of the separation tank.