The CB-RM looks like an MRI machine designed for Paul Bunyan. It's a 6/2-ton cylinder measuring 6 feet high, 6 feet wide, and 7 feet long, with a conveyor belt running through the middle. As shredded scrap passes through the cylinder, a radioactive isotope (Califor-nium-252) at the bottom of the analyzer produces neutrons that penetrate the scrap and put the material's atoms into an "excited state." To bring themselves back to stable condition, the atoms emit gamma rays in distributions unique to each element. The analyzer examines the spectra from that reaction and identifies the signature energy levels of the elements of concern to steel mills, which might include copper, nickel, chrome, manganese, and zinc. Essentially, the analyzer confirms the chemical composition of the shredded material. With this knowledge, processors can make other adjustments to reach the desired scrap composition.
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