Diamond XRT Plants

What is XRT?

X-ray Transmission (XRT) is widely used in the diamond mining industry. XRT machines use X-rays to identify and then sort different materials based on their specific atomic density:

The diamond-bearing material on a conveyor belt is exposed to a source of X-rays.
When the X-rays encounter a diamond, they are absorbed more than by the surrounding waste material.
After the X-rays pass through the conveyor belt, they are captured by a detector.
The machine then uses this data to generate an image that categorises the material based on its atomic density.
The sorter then uses a burst of air to separate the diamonds from the waste material.

Why use XRT to process diamonds?

High Accuracy & Efficiency: XRT can accurately detect diamonds of all grades, even on very high-tonnage conveyor belts. XRT allows for a more efficient recovery of diamonds, which can lead to significant increases in revenue.
Maximise Large Diamond Recovery: Large diamonds can be recovered early in the plant flowsheet ahead of more mechanically intensive processes that may increase the likelihood of diamond breakage.
Minimise Diamond Breakage: XRT is a non-destructive testing method that does not damage the tested diamonds. XRT is also less likely to damage large diamonds than other recovery technologies.
Dry Processing: XRT can process diamonds in a dry environment, eliminating the need for a water supply and the generation of wet tailings (slimes).

Our Diamond XRT Plants

Consulmet has been working with XRT machines for diamond recovery for over a decade. In an industry-first, we deployed the first production-scale XRT plant to recover large diamonds in 2012.

We can integrate XRT machines into a project flowsheet (to optimise large stone recovery and reduce diamond breakage/damage) or provide a stand-alone, modular recovery plant.

70 tph modularised XRT plant

Model of 70 tph modularised XRT plant

The game-changing XRT technology is regularly featured in the industry press: