Diversion assembly

A diversion assembly for use with a feed material transported by a soil transport mechanism, the diversion assembly comprising:

• a first screw conveyor;
• a second screw conveyor;
• and
• a diversion assembly comprising a plurality of movable gate chutes arranged side-by-side within an array, the plurality of movable gate chutes each being positionable in a first position and a second position, any of the plurality of movable gate chutes positioned in the first position diverting a diverted portion of the feed material from the soil transport mechanism into the first screw conveyor, any of the plurality of movable gate chutes positioned in the second position not contacting the feed material and allowing a remaining portion, if any, of the feed material to flow unimpeded from the soil transport mechanism into the second screw conveyor.

A system for use with a feed material, the system comprising:

• a detector system comprising a plurality of radiation detectors;
• a control system connected to the detector system;
• a diversion system connected to the control system, the diversion system comprising a plurality of movable gate chutes, a plurality of linear motors, a first conveyor, and a second conveyor, each of the plurality of radiation detectors corresponding to a different one of the plurality of movable gate chutes, the plurality of linear motors each being configured to selectively position a corresponding one of the plurality of movable gate chutes in a retracted position or an extended position, the first conveyor being configured to carry, for each of any of the plurality of movable gate chutes in the retracted position, a first portion of the feed material to a first area, the second conveyor being configured to carry, for each of any of the plurality of movable gate chutes in the extended position, a second portion of the feed material to a second area, the second area being spaced apart from the first area;
• and
• a material transport mechanism configured to transport the feed material past the detector system and to the diversion system, each of the plurality of radiation detectors being operable to detect, for the corresponding movable gate chute, a level of a contaminant in a corresponding portion of the feed material transported past the radiation detector by the material transport mechanism, the detector system being operable to transmit a plurality of signals to the control system, the plurality of signals comprising a signal for each of the plurality of movable gate chutes indicating the level of the contaminant detected for the movable gate chute,
• the control system being operable, for each of the plurality of signals, to instruct the diversion system to (a) cause one of the plurality of linear motors to move the corresponding movable gate chute to the extended position when the level indicated by the signal transmitted for the corresponding movable gate chute exceeds predefined release criteria and the corresponding movable gate chute is in the retracted position, and (b) cause one of the plurality of linear motors to move the corresponding movable gate chute to the retracted position when the level indicated by the signal transmitted for the corresponding movable gate chute does not exceed the predefined release criteria and the corresponding movable gate chute is in the extended position.