CH:3.0 Transportation system in open cast mines.

3.1 The factors influencing the selection of transporting system

During selecting any transporting system in the surface mining system, the factors
to be taken into account carefully are as follows:
1.Select shortest haulage route taking advantage of gravity.
2.Select two-way haulage system when the capacity of haul is heavy otherwise
one-way system will be better on cost economic point of view.
3.The main haulage road should be of permanent in nature. on the bench when
tracks were installed, they should be reinstalled after a sufficient lap of time.
4.Maximum density of traffic allowable in a road for faster haulage.
5.The production capacity should match the excavator or loader capacity and the
transport system capacity should match.
6.Transport system should be highly efficient and productive.
7.Need of continuous operation, mobile or stationary etc.
8. Safety of the system.
9.Cost economics
10.Climatic conditions.
11.type, size and characteristics of the overburden
12.Quantity of the material to be handled
13.Condition of the surface, terrain, plain or hilly terrain, altitude etc.
14. Gradient of haul.

3.2 The types of Transport system

Transport System in Mines:
1. Rope Haulage
i) Direct rope haulage
 ii) Tail rope haulage
iii) Endless rope haulage
iv) Main and tail rope haulage
v) Gravity haulage
vi) Aerial rope haulage
2. Conveyor system of haulage
i) Belt conveyor
ii) Cable belt conveyor
iii) Chain conveyor
iv) Scraper chain conveyor
v) Armoured chain conveyor
vi) Gate end loader
vii) Mobile stage loader
viii) Pick-aback conveyor
ix) Plate conveyor
x) Disc conveyor
3. Dumper/truck transportation system.
4. Rail transportation system.
5. Pipe line transportation system.

3.3 The types of Dumpers

Haul trucks are off-highway, rigid dump trucks specifically engineered for use in
high-production mining and heavy-duty construction environments.
Classification:
• On the basis of dumping: -
1. Rear discharge dumper
2. Side discharge dumper
 3. Bottom discharge dumper
•On the basis of frame: -
1. Rigid frame dumper
2. Articulated dumper
•On the basis of capacity: -
1. Small capacity dumper - up to 50 tonnes
2. Medium capacity dumper; 50- 100 tonnes
3. Large capacity dumper: - 100-250 tonnes
4. Giant dumper, more than 250 tonnes

3.4 The general construction of dumper with neat sketch.

A dumper is a vehicle designed for carrying bulk material, often on building sites.
They are normally diesel powered. These are heavy duty trucks with a container
body of steel open at the top for receiving material loaded mechanically by tractor
shovel, dipper shovel, dragline, etc. All dumpers/ tippers are provided with
arrangements to lift the loaded body by utilizing hydraulic pressure to force a ram
out.
The body swings from its horizontal position round a fulcrum through nearly 70° to
dump its load and the hydraulic system also functions to pull the body back on its
seat i.e., the chassis. From an oil tank oil flows by gravity to hydraulic pump.
When the driver engages the power take off (P.T.O.) control lever, power from the
engine is transmitted from the transmission countershaft to the power take off
which drives the pump. The oil under high pressure from the pump goes to the
control valve whose lever can be manipulated for 4 different positions.
(a) Raise Position:
High pressure oil goes through the hose pipes to the bottom of the hoist cylinder
and the ram is then forced out. Oil at the top of the hoist travel back to the control
valve through the hose connected to the piston rod.
(b) Hold Position:
Both the passages between the control valve and hoist are closed so that oil at the
bottom and top of the hoist is at a standstill and the latter is unable to move in
either direction.
(c) Float Position:
Both hose passages between the control valve and hoist are open so that oil at
either end of the hoist can flow either way. The hoist can then travel in either
direction depending upon the direction in which the force is applied.
(d) Lower Position:
High pressure oil goes to the top of the hoist which then telescopes itself by the oil
pressure and the oil at the bottom of the hoist travels back to the tank via the
control valve. The body is thereby lowered on to the chassis.
Steering on all the heavy-duty dumpers is mechanical but assisted by hydraulic
power, generated by the engine. The dumper operator's effort in thereby
considerably reduced. Mechanical transmission from the engine to the rear
wheels is the standard practice now-a-days, though for some years the rear
wheels were driven by individual electric motors controlled from operator's cabin.
Medium sized mechanised quarries employ dumpers of 25-50 tonnes carrying
capacity.
Brakes on dumpers are operated by compressed air. Some dumpers are equipped
with hydraulic retarder. This is a device used on some trucks and dumpers to
prevent the speed from exceeding certain limits when travelling a steep down
slope. It uses the hydraulic friction to produce the breaking action. Like the regular
brakes, the hydrotarder will not completely stop the vehicle but will slow it down
preparatory to stoppings with the familiar friction brakes, operated by
compressed air or hydraulic pressure. The retarder essentially consists of a vane
type rotor turned by the driven shaft, a fixed casing with vanes and an oil
circulation system.
The machines deployed in the opencast mines, at the crushing and ore
preparation plant have to be of matching capacities.

3.5 The applications of belt conveyors in OC Mines.

The biggest factor in choosing the right conveyor belt is the product that it's going
to be transporting and where it's going to be located. There are following factors
that decide the selection of belt conveyor
(a) Amount of material to be conveyed
(b) Continuity of operation needed
(c) Size of lumps
(d) Distance of transportation
(e) Environmental allowance
(f) Gradient.

3.6 The applicable conditions, merits and demerits of in pit Crusher

Technology.
Applicable conditions: -
• If Size of mines getting larger.
• Labour shortage
• To increase Striping ratio
• Electricity price (₹/KWH) is less than 25% of diesel net price (₹/litre)
•Space for operation at least 100m needed for IPCC
• Manpower issues get controlled.
• Reducing carbon and dust emissions is important.
• For lower operating costs
• Fluctuating of fuel cost.
• Greater Pressure to reduce operating cost.
• Need to quickly respond to changing market demand.
• Maintain flexibility.
• Ore blending and priorities may change.
• Higher mineral prices support and justify the development of larger, deeper pits
with higher waste and/or material movements.
• The supply of large truck tires remains difficult.
• Mining costs are currently escalating rapidly.
Merits-
• Energy efficiency of conveying is more efficient than other forms of material
transport.
• Mine life, up to 50-60 years of operation need four years to pay back capital.
• Electricity cost versus diesel cost - electricity costs (₹/kWh) less than 25% of
diesel price (₹/litre).
•Space for operation 100m needed for IPCC.
• IPCC lends itself to easy automation
•Timing - IPCC is ideally suited to new operations or an expansion. It is also,
generally, capital is neutral compared to trucks when taking into account
replacement schedule and operating expenditure is less.
• Gravity - conveyors can generate power on downhill runs.
•Minimal dependency on weather.
• Ability to adjust to economic changes quickly
•Lower maintenance cost.
• Highly reduced road preparation
• Prevention of dust on the haulage route.
• In total less consumption of energy and consumables.
• Substantial saving in civil works.
• Lower installation cost than stationary crushing plants.
• Flexibility to alter the primary crusher location and conveying extension as the
mine develops.
• Safe mine operation due to less moving equipment
Demerits-
• The initial cost of system is normally higher than that of the truck haulage
system, because the complete conveyor and crusher are bought to start
production whereas the truck fleet can be bought in stages to set up production.
• The mining operation is completely dependent on availability of the conveyors.
This availability is over 95% but a shutdown of one belt can stop the entire
production.
• Relocation of the crusher and extension of the conveyor is expensive and
requires a shutdown of the mining operation for a period from 2-3 days.
• Material must be crushed to a size of minus 250 mm before loading onto the
conveyor.
• IPCC and shovel do not operate together.
• In-pit crushing required for conveying (hard rock) even if not needed
(overburden).
• Less flexible in mining layout.
• Less flexible in capacity.

3.7 Working of in pit Crusher

In-pit crushing system:
Currently in the mining industry is increasing its focus on operational excellence
and safety performance toward zero harm levels. Factors driving this increased
focus include the need to obtain greater efficiencies not only to address the rising
capital costs for mining assets such as equipment, fuel, tyres, and manpower, but
their overall operation as well, and in pit crushing and conveying is an important
part of this.
A continuous processing system that includes the shovel, crusher, spreader and all
appropriate conveyors that reduces rock of mine (ROM) to a conveyable size. In
fact, IPCC is the use of fully mobile, semi-mobile or fixed in-pit crushers coupled
with conveyors and spreaders (for waste) or stackers (for ore) to remove material
from an open-pit mine.
In-pit crushing and conveying is an alternative system for transport in open pit
mines. Depending on individual parameters, it can achieve full or partial
replacement of trucks for material transport within and out of a mine. If a mine
provides two conveyors, both ore and waste are conveyed out of the pit. By this
way, the truck transport on long uphill distance is eliminated. When the mine
supplies only one conveyor, it conveys ore and waste on different shifts, or all the
waste is transported by trucks to the surface.
The in-pit crusher is moved down every one or two years, to keep the truck
haulage to a minimum. The relocation takes 2-3 days. For short moving times the
processing plant can be fed from a stockpile. In longer stoppages, usually in
European operations, the move coincides with a general mine holiday period.
The crusher is located next to an embankment, so that trucks are able to dump
the material directly from the embankment into the feeder above the crusher.
Under an alternative arrangement, the crusher is located closer to the centre and
has a separate feeder with the feeder tail-end located in the space in the pit floor.
The trucks dump the material from the pit floor into the feeder. Belt conveyors
can be one of the most efficient means of transporting material out of the pit.
IPCC SYSTEM means in pit crusher conveyor system. IPCC system is also called as
SEMI MOBILE CRUSHER. - IPCC system crushing of overburden and coal inside the
quarry and transporting them by belt conveyors. The proposed Crusher / Sizers
shall be of Semi Mobile type since they are required to be shifted in the Opencast
Mine periodically as per progress of the Mine. - The Crushers / Sizers shall have a
life of around 25 years.

3.8 The applicable conditions, merits of spreader

Applicable conditions:
Spreaders are designed for dumping of overburden materials on dump sites,
mainly around opencast mines. They are linked to other technological equipment
of continuous or cyclic-and-continuous mining technology.
Selection of a spreader depends mainly on the following factors;
•Capacity of the material to be handled.
•Dumping range
•Flexibility
•Geotechnical parameters
•Consideration of interruption of production,
•Availability of facilities for planned overhauling for keeping the down time low-
Cost economics.
Merits:
•We can increase the dump height and radius.
•Reduces the no of dumpers in circuit.
•Minimise the cost per ton.
•More safe compare to truck haulage system at dumpy yards.
•Less manpower requirement. Continuous material transportation.
3.9 The working of Spreaders used in OC mines.

The spreader is the last member in the chain of equipment used for continuous
removal of overburden.
Spreaders are designed with capacities to match those of the Bucket Wheel
Excavators, thus ensuring economy in the complete surface mining system. The
spreaders are used to dump the overburden, dug out by the excavators, in the
mined pits or soil piles to outside the pit area.
Spreader is one of the complete sets of equipment developed by company for
continuous or semi continuous mining process in large open-pit mine. It is used for
satisfying the overburdening process requirements in large open pit mines. It
works with the crushing system and belt conveyor. It can complete the topsoil
overburdening in large open-pit coal fields, iron ores and non-ferrous metal mines,
and stacking materials efficiently and orderly. The spreader can be divided into
two types: Upper counterweight-arm and Lower counterweight-arm.
The spreader works at the end of a semi-continuous mining system in large open
pit mine for transporting and scraping materials. It works cooperatively with the
discharging cars. the discharging car lift and transfer the material to the receiving
belt of the spreader and then the spreader discharges the material orderly
through the discharging arm. The spreader and the discharging car are interlocked
to complete the spreading action and it moves along with the movement of the
dumping site.
• High reliability, using discrete element analysis software to optimize the material
flow at the transfer point. The material has little impact on the belt as well as on
the rollers. Belt conveyor does not scatter or off tracking. The large welded
structural is wholly annealed to effectively release the residual stress.
• Continuous operation, high productivity and low cost, the drive motor of the
discharge and receiving belt have variable frequency speed control, and grounding
pressure propel device is adapted to the harsh working conditions at dumping site.
• With start-up self-test function, monitoring system can display the operation
status of the spreader as well as fault content, fault location, etc. in real time; the
discharging arm can automatically raise/lower, preventing collision and reducing
dust, the control system automatically ensures the spreader and discharging car
work co-ordinately.
• Adapted to the complex and varied working environment such as plateau, low
temperature, heavy load, impact, high wind and dust; the high load bearing and
low running speed of the belt can be adjusted according to the size of the
conveying amount, and the energy saving effect is obvious. The spreader is
equipped with a dust suppression system to meet environmental protection
requirements in mining are heavy equipment used in surface mining and
mechanical engineering/civil engineering. The primary function of a spreader is to
act as a continuous spreading machine in large-scale open pit mining operations.
Bucket wheel excavators, BWEs, are used for continuous overburden removal in
surface mining applications. They use their cutting wheels to strip away a section
of earth (the working block) dictated by the size of the excavator. The overburden
is then delivered to the discharge boom, which transfers the cut earth to another
machine for transfer it to the central collection area where the material will be
sorted. Then the remains of the overburden will be transported to the spreader
which then scatters the overburden at the dumping ground.