The Development Center for X-ray Technology (EZRT) has created a demonstrator that can find diamonds located in volcanic rocks.
EZRT is a division of the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS) that works on X-ray technology, image processing, computed tomography and optical 3D inspection systems, according to Azomining.
There are limitations to X-ray technology used to detect diamonds. It can only be used to find such objects that are close to the ore surface at best. The Fraunhofer Institute said that another problem is that traditional systems need igneous rock to be broken apart first, which takes a lot of energy, Discovery News reported.
Based in Furth, the EZRT is using new technology as a more effective method. Their detection system creates two images of the same object by using different X-ray spectra. Afterwards, the department uses an algorithm to pass along the data from the images, allowing them to separate diamond from kimberlite rock.
The new method can be used for different purposes besides finding diamonds, Azomining reported. The technology can be used to identify and separate other objects, such as industrial coal. The eagle eye from the X-ray can be also be used to find rare earths in old cellphones, television sets and computers.
"We were adverted to the diamonds through a request from the industry," said Jorg Muhlbauer, physicist for EZRT. "The demo model successfully passed the initial practice tests. How, together with our colleagues from IOSB, we intend to take the technology to the next step and make it ready for industrial use. Our goal is to develop an industrial testing process that allows several tons of bulk material per hour to run through the system and be analyzed."
The current model can find models in ore several hundredths of an inch on up to grains that are almost 2 inches (50 millimeters) in size, Discovery News reported. The technology provides the possibility to detect bigger diamonds further down, which would get rid of the need to break apart so much rock beforehand.
