A rotating suction chamber apparatus for sorting a mixture of materials comprises a cylindrical drum with its upper end is at a higher elevation than its lower end. An upper housing connected to the upper end has a material intake for receiving the mixture of materials for introduction to the upper end. The mixture of materials includes a light fraction and a heavy fraction, and the upper housing has an outlet for the light fraction. A suction hood connected to the light fraction outlet includes a light separator shaft with a substantially vertical portion, and an air blower is adapted to create an airflow from the lower end, to the upper end, through the light fraction outlet and through the suction hood. A rotator rotates the drum about its longitudinal axis so that the heavy fraction is moved through the drum and falls out of the lower end.