Electrostatic separation apparatus and method

An electrostatic separation method according to the present invention comprises applying a voltage between a lower electrode disposed at the bottom or interior of a raw material layer and an upper electrode disposed above the raw material layer to create an electric field between the electrodes, causing a flow in the raw material layer to bring conductive particles into contact with the lower electrode in the raw material layer so that only the conductive particles are charged to have the same polarity as that of the lower electrode, electrostatically polarizing the downward-facing, conveying surface, which is made of a non-conductive material, of a conveyor belt passing through a capture zone defined above the raw material layer and below the upper electrode so that the conveying surface has the same polarity as that of the upper electrode, allowing the charged conductive particles to be selectively released from the surface of the raw material layer and adhere to the conveying surface of the conveyor belt b