Which of the following is true about X-ray separation?

Which of the following is true about X-ray separation?

• A. It uses X-rays to detect diamonds and an air jet to remove them from ore
• B. It heats diamonds
• C. It sorts by weight
• D. It uses magnets to separate diamonds

Answer: (A)

X-ray separation works by using X-rays to distinguish diamonds in a stream of ore as the material moves along a conveyor. Diamonds interact with X-rays differently than the surrounding rock, so detectors can identify a diamond in real time. Once detected, a rapid air jet or similar actuation ejects that piece from the belt into a separate bin, while the rest of the material continues on for further processing. This non-contact sorting happens quickly and reduces the amount of ore that needs to be processed later. Heating the diamonds isn’t part of this method, and sorting by weight would be a different, slower process that isn’t done with X-ray detection. Magnets don’t separate diamonds since diamonds are not magnetic.

X-ray separation works by using X-rays to distinguish diamonds in a stream of ore as the material moves along a conveyor. Diamonds interact with X-rays differently than the surrounding rock, so detectors can identify a diamond in real time. Once detected, a rapid air jet or similar actuation ejects that piece from the belt into a separate bin, while the rest of the material continues on for further processing. This non-contact sorting happens quickly and reduces the amount of ore that needs to be processed later.

Heating the diamonds isn’t part of this method, and sorting by weight would be a different, slower process that isn’t done with X-ray detection. Magnets don’t separate diamonds since diamonds are not magnetic.