Advanced technology of radiometric concentration of diamond-containing raw materials

The presented results of studies of luminescence characteristics of diamond-containing raw materials and technological tests of radiometric sorters are aimed at solving the problem of recovery of low-luminescent diamonds and crystals with uncharacteristic luminescence kinetics (anomalously luminescent), which previously could not be recovered using standard X-ray luminescence sorters with pulse operation mode of X-ray tube. The aim of the study and testing was to determine the possibility of recovering such diamonds using modernised X-ray luminescence and X-ray transmission (X-ray graphic) sorters. X-ray luminescence sorters with analogue-digital acquisition of luminescence signals manufactured by IC Bourevestnik JSC were tested at Alrosa’s processing plants. The sorting criteria of luminescence-absorption mode, adjusted by the Yakutniproalmaz Institute and introduced into the diamond detection system, made it possible to increase the selectivity of the X-ray luminescence sorting process and diamond recovery. The dual-energy X-ray transmission used in X-ray graphic sorters is the most promising solution for recovering all types of diamonds. Experimental studies of luminescence characteristics of diamonds from deposits in Western Yakutia and the Arkhangelsk region were carried out as part of the tests. Studies of diamonds from the tailing products of X-ray luminescence sorters showed that, in addition to low-grade diamonds with weak luminescence signal and low value, there are gem-quality transparent diamonds with anomalous luminescence kinetics, including type IIa diamonds with an average estimated value exceeding thousand dollars per carat.

Makalin I. A., Ivanov A. V. Advanced technology of radiometric concentration of diamond-containing raw materials. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2025;(9-1):103-113. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2025_91_0_103.

I.A. Makalin¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Senior Researcher, e-mail: MakalinIA@alrosa.ru,
A.V. Ivanov¹, Graduate Student, Head of Laboratory, e-mail: IvanovAV@alrosa.ru,
¹ Yakutian Research and Design Institute of Diamond Mining Industry «Yakutniproalmaz», 67817539, Mirny, Russia.

I.A. Makalin, e-mail: MakalinIA @alrosa.ru.

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