Sandwich Belt High Angle Conveyors Coal Mine to Prep Plant and Beyond – 2016

Abstract

Developed between 1979 and 1981 Dos Santos Sandwich Belt high angle conveyors began commercial operation in 1983. Since then some 150 systems have gone into successful operation throughout the world with most still in productive operation many years later. They have been successful with many, varied bulk materials from light, friable wood chips and grains to heavy, coarse copper and iron ores. Throughput rates have varied widely, from 272 kgs/hr to 6000 t/h. These systems have been especially successful in coal handling applications from the mine to preparation to transfer and export. Sandwich Belt high angle conveyors also found use in the disposal of refuse from coal preparation plants. This writing presents the technical aspects of the system then describes the important sandwich belt high angle conveyor installations including vertical continuous haulage from underground mining and direct haulage from open pit mines, yard handling and prep plant feed, coal prep refuse disposal, and coal transfer, to market, domestic and export. Also, this writing places special emphasis on noting the systems suitability for handling large size materials which are typical in haulage from underground and open pit mines, as part of IPCC (In-Pit Crushing and Conveying) systems.