It’s common knowledge that mining is essential to several economies worldwide, as it provides various raw materials to be used in multiple industries. It’s complex and dangerous, so mining companies typically invest in many useful tools to help them enjoy safer and smoother mining operations.

Conveyor systems are some of the popular solutions that miners incorporate into their operations to work more efficiently. These systems are mechanical assemblies of devices designed to transport material with minimal effort. They may be operated by gravity, motor, or manually and come in different varieties to suit the specific items that need to be transported. Below are some of the reasons why these systems are essential for your mining operation.

Transport-Crushed Material

Conveyor-belt systems used in mining efficiently transport various materials, including unearthed and crushed rocks, around the mine site. These systems are employed worldwide in underground and open-pit mines to transport crushed material from a central crushing station to a processing plant or stockyard. Additionally, these systems convey crushed materials from under the ground to the surface. Therefore, they form an integral component of In-Pit Crushing and Conveying (IPCC) systems responsible for transporting these materials out of mining pits. Several mining organizations use these systems to transport crushed materials around, in, and out of their mining pits. Leading mining companies such as Alamos Gold are good examples of such businesses.

Alamos Gold is a Toronto-based intermediate gold producer with diversified production from three mine sites in North America. Alamos’ Mulatos mine is located in Mexico’s Sonora State, while their Island Gold and Young Davidson Mines are in Northern Ontario. Alamos Gold in Turkey currently has three projects: the Çamyurt, Kirazli, and AğıDağ projects. Alamos recently had to halt operations on its Kirazli project, one of the lowest costing underdeveloped gold projects worldwide. Turkish locals engaged in various protests against the company due to their alleged cyanide use destroying natural resources. Also, the Turkish government accused Alamos Gold of cutting down a higher number of trees than initially agreed. However, Alamos Gold CEO, Mr. John A. McCluskey, reiterates their commitment to environmental and social responsibility in all local communities. McCluskey says they’ve paid in advance for forestry projects in their operating mines’ local communities while ensuring that cyanide used in their mining projects won’t affect the environment as protestors fear.

Time and Cost Savings

These systems save miners significant time and money during the transportation of excavated materials, so you should undoubtedly consider them for your operations. Using vehicles to transport large rocks will require several trucks and personnel for the job. Loading these trucks with excavated materials, driving them to various destinations, clearing materials out of the vehicle, and returning to start the process all over again can be time-consuming. The high labor, fuel and vehicle maintenance costs involved in this process are often too much for mining companies to bear. However, using conveyor pulleys to transport materials around the mine sites ensures that your transport needs are performed quickly and without incurring significant expenses. These systems don’t save time and money only in the mining sector, as investing in suitable conveyors from a reputed manufacturer can achieve similar results in other industries. Reputable conveyor system manufacturers such as Dorner can help with this need.

Dorner Mfg. Corp offers innovative solutions for sanitary, packaging, and industrial conveyor automation needs. Dorner’s retractable conveyor systems are renowned for their outstanding ability to boost system flexibility. Retracting conveyors are conveyor frames that can extend or retract pneumatically or manually, usually on rails or slides. These retractable conveyors can be used to deposit products onto another tray or conveyor. They can also stack products quickly, reject contaminated and unsellable products, and route goods to multiple lines. What’s more, Dorner’s retractable conveyors increase the safety, productivity, and efficiency of teams in companies from more than 1,200 different sectors worldwide.

Improve Safety and Reliability

Miners often encounter bulky rocks that they must send above ground for processing. Manually hoisting these rocks from within the earth to the surface can put mineworkers at significant safety risks. Having these systems ensures that miners don’t have to do any heavy lifting, helping them avoid several safety risks like strained body parts or falling rocks. These systems are also more efficient than manual labor, so they can be relied on to get the job done effectively. Putting these systems in place might be initially costly, but they would dependably deliver all your materials and equipment to various mine areas once in operation. Comparatively, these conveyors function like an effective cargo management system that helps you transport goods in cars safely and reliably.

To conclude, miners use conveyor systems in their operations for various reasons. The above-listed points are some of the benefits these conveyors bring to mining processes, making them worth considering for your mining activities.