Enhancing airport security through Scannex diamond detection technology
18th March, 2010
Following an attempted terrorist attack against an aircraft flying to Detroit in the US on 25 December 2009, significant interest was shown by stakeholders internationally in the application of De Beers proprietary Scannex technology to airport security.
Scannex is an advanced X-ray scanning technology developed and assembled in South Africa by the De Beers research unit DebTech. The technology is currently utilised by the Family of Companies security teams in South Africa and Namibia.
The images produced by Scannex are of such a high resolution that it can detect diamonds as small as 1 carat – wherever located on or in the human body. Images – whether normal, ‘masked’ or 3D – are immediately availably on an operator’s screen and can be stored electronically.
A complete scan can take place in 10 seconds and exposes subjects to a very low level of X-ray radiation. This means it can be used on a subject more than 200 times a year and still remain within legal exposure limits.
In addition to security technology, DebTech provides timely, cost effective and value adding technology to the Family of Companies in the areas of diamond exploration and ore treatment. This is with the aim of underpinning a sustainable competitive advantage for the Family of Companies.
CNN featured the DebTech developed Scannex technology in the first Market Place Africa (MPA) show which launched on CNN on 17 March. The CNN crew visited the De Beers JHB Campus and filmed in DebTech. They then filmed the Scannex technology in use at Voorspoed Mine.
The repeat screenings are as follows:
Saturday 20th March @ 09h00
Sunday 21st March @03h00 and 10h00
Website: http://www.debtech.com/
Related posts:
- X-Ray Body Scanning Technology Can Discover Diamonds, Synthetic Material, Drugs, Explosives and Metals
- De Beers Venetia Diamond Mine Produces Nearly 1 Million Carats of Diamonds in Q1
- Diamond Giant De Beers Approached by Potential Investors Over Namaqualand Diamond Mines and Finsch Diamond Mine
- De Beers Canada Victor Mine named “Mine of the Year”
- De Beers Canada Holds Recruiting Drive for Snap Lake Diamond Mine
