Sensor-based sorting techniques offer the potential to improve ore grades and reduce the amount of waste material processed. Previous studies show that sensor-based sorting can reduce energy, water and reagent consumption and fine waste production by discarding waste prior to further processing. In this literature review, recent investigations of sensor-based sorting and the fundamental mechanisms of the main sorting techniques are evaluated to inform optimal sensor selection. Additionally, the fusing of data from multiple sensing techniques to improve characterization of the sensed material and hence sorting capability is investigated. It was found that the key to effective implementation of sensor-based sorting is the selection of a sensing technique which can sense a characteristic capable of separating ore from waste with a sampling distribution sufficient for the considered sorting method. Classes of potential sensor fusion sorting applications in mineral processing are proposed and illustrated with example cases. It was also determined that the main holdup for implementing sensor fusion is a lack of correlatable data on the response of multiple sensing techniques for the same ore sample. A combined approach of experimental testing supplemented by simulations is proposed to provide data to enable the evaluation and development of sensor fusion techniques.

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are promising radiosensitizers with the potential to enhance radiotherapy. Experiments have shown GNP enhancement of proton therapy and indicated that chemical damage by reactive species plays a major role. Simulations of the distribution and yield of reactive species from 10 ps to 1 µs produced by a single GNP, two GNPs in proximity and a GNP cluster irradiated with a proton beam were performed using the Geant4 Monte Carlo toolkit. It was found that the reactive species distribution at 1 µs extended a few hundred nm from a GNP and that the largest enhancement occurred over 50 nm from the nanoparticle. Additionally, the yield for two GNPs in proximity and a GNP cluster was reduced by up to 17% and 60% respectively from increased absorption. The extended range of action from the diffusion of the reactive species may enable simulations to model GNP enhanced proton therapy. The high levels of absorption for a large GNP cluster suggest that smaller clusters and diffuse GNP distributions maximize the total radiolysis yield within a cell. However, this must be balanced against the high local yields near a cluster particularly if the cluster is located adjacent to a biological target.

FLASH radiotherapy, or the administration of ultra-high dose rate radiotherapy, is a new radiation delivery method that aims to widen the therapeutic window in radiotherapy. Thus far, most in vitro and in vivo results show a real potential of FLASH to offer superior normal tissue sparing compared to conventionally delivered radiation. While there are several postulations behind the differential behaviour among normal and cancer cells under FLASH, the full spectra of radiobiological mechanisms are yet to be clarified. Currently the number of devices delivering FLASH dose rate is few and is mainly limited to experimental and modified linear accelerators. Nevertheless, FLASH research is increasing with new developments in all the main areas: radiobiology, technology and clinical research. This paper presents the current status of FLASH radiotherapy with the aforementioned aspects in mind, but also to highlight the existing challenges and future prospects to overcome them.