The paper presents a new type of eddy-current separator designed for the particles separation from a mixture with dielectric particles or of the metallic particles with different physical characteristics. Both the physical processes of the separation and the functioning and design of the devices are described. The efficiency of the new separator is examined on the basis of R = f(G) (R - recovery, G - grade) diagrams for the Cu-Pb, Al-rubber and Cu-Al mixtures. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.