To improve separation efficiency at the lowest cost by electrifying crushed matter of a splinter shape within the electrification area between two electrodes having two different charges, then electrostatically sorting the crushed matter within an electric field formed by a separate electrode restricting the falling course of the crushed matter.

When crushed cacao beans, i.e., nibs 16, are sorted from seed coats 16 of the beans, the crushed matter 5 is splintered and is then fed to a feed hopper 4. The crushed matter 5 is then electrified in a vibration chute 6 which constitutes the electrification area 1 of a sorting device 30 and has the electrodes 7, 8 having different charges to generate the homogeneous electric field. The crushed matter 5 through the vibration chute 6 is fed from a falling section 11 to a deflection area 2, from which the crushed matter is dropped. The crushed matter 5 is deflected in the directions varying according to the ratios of the specific charges and charge quantity of small pieces of the crushed matter by the force acting within the homogeneous electric field E formed between the two electrodes 9 and 10 and is thus assorted. The assorted crushed matter is recovered into corresponding transfer systems 13 via the respective chutes 14.