A separation operation for particles includes loading particles of various
sizes and responsive to electromagnetic forces into a starting position
upon a separation collection component, sending a first current through a
first set of conductors in a first direction drawing a subset of larger
particles toward a first adjacent position to the starting position and
sending successively lower currents compared to the first current through
a second set of conductors in the first direction drawing a subset of
smaller particles toward a second adjacent position to the starting
position. A collection operation includes sending a lower current through
a first set of conductors near a subset of smaller particles that forces
the smaller particles into a first particle collection point and sending
a higher current through the second set of conductors to collect a subset
of larger particles into a second particle collection point.