To provide an inexpensive method for separating copper and aluminum from a mixture of aluminum pieces and copper pieces, which has been classified in a waste treatment process for electric equipment or electrical appliances, and obtains copper mixed with aluminum of less than 1%.

The method for separating copper and aluminum includes: putting the mixture of the aluminum pieces and the copper pieces into a selection cylinder, which has been classified in the waste treatment process for the electric equipment or the electrical appliances; passing a liquid such as water from a tangential direction of the selection cylinder to generate an ascending rotary current in the selection cylinder; and overflowing the aluminum pieces by forcing the aluminum pieces to the upper part of the selection cylinder and sedimenting the copper pieces to the bottom part of the selection cylinder.