X-Ray Separation is a recovery method that uses X-rays to detect diamonds and what to remove them from the ore?

• A. An air jet to remove them from the ore.
• B. A weighing scale to measure diamonds.
• C. A sorting method using infrared spectroscopy.
• D. A method to cut diamonds by breakage.

Answer: (A)

In X-ray separation, diamonds are identified in an ore stream by how they interact with X-rays—the detector flags the diamond-bearing particles as they pass by. Once identified, a pneumatic air jet is timed to blast those specific particles out of the stream into a collection path. The air jet is the actual mechanism that removes the diamonds from the ore, making this method a fast, non-contact way to separate diamonds from surrounding rock.

The other options don’t fit the process: a weighing scale isn’t used for on-stream removal, infrared spectroscopy isn’t part of this X-ray-based detection and ejection system, and cutting or breaking diamonds would destroy them rather than separate them.