Conveyors are used in deep-open mining. The conveyor belts have three parts that facilitate mineral transportation from the ground to the surface. The miners in the deep pit place the minerals, these minerals are transported via the belt to the surface, the conveyors are matched with the mineral weight. Supposedly, the conveyor is unable to hold the weight of the mineral the belt may break and cause injuries and deaths. Therefore, most mining companies using conveyors ensure that the belts are strong to withstand the weight of the minerals. Moreover, the conveyers are also used in transporting mining items to the miners.
Improved mineral handling
The increasing demand for mineral resources found mostly in Africa has compelled mining companies to improve mineral resources’ handling and mining efficiency. Therefore, the extraction, transportation, and storing processes are conducted under high monitoring to avoid wastages and quality reduction. Conveyor belts play a major role in ensuring safety while handling minerals in a mining site.
Small scale mines in most parts of Africa make their own improvised conveyors belts using locally available ropes. This is however not safe because conveyor belts normally hold so much weight hence they need to be made from very strong materials that can withstand the pressure. Furthermore, good conveyors belts are designed to avoid intense ground shaking that causes tremors that can trigger a collapse in the mining sites.
Belt conveyors can also be customized according to the companies’ needs and the size of the pit. There are high chances that the belts may be adjusted as mining activities proceed. The mining sites may go deep according to the mining activities. Therefore, the conveyor belts are prolonged to reach the intended regions. Most mining companies prioritize using customized conveyor belts since they can reduce and increase the belt size depending on the activities. Similarly, these belt conveyors can be used in other obligations apart from transporting mining equips and minerals.
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According to Tim Matzke, a material handling expert troughed belt conveyors are preferred in most mining operations. The expert indicates that the troughed belt conveyors help in carrying ores, failings, and concentrates during the mining process. Mining companies use toughened belt conveyors due to their strength and durability. Most mining activities involve carrying heavy loads in sites with intensive mining activities. As a result, mining companies that invest in conveyor belts check their belts to avoid both injuries and mineral wastages while moving the resources. The conveyor belts are checked through the three stages of mining activities to ensure that both the minerals and people located in every stage are safe.
Safety practices when using conveyors are activities that started during the canary-in-the-coal-mine era. However, the practices have advanced over years to guarantee miners their safety. Most mining sites such as those in South Africa and Congo have deepened due to prolonged mining activities. Therefore, safety practices have transformed to provide security to miners who are forced to operate in deep pits since the deep pits are dangerous to the people who overstay in these sections.
