In-pit conveyors and crushers cut surface mining costs

Journal Article · Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1985 · Coal Age; (United States)

OSTI ID:6022774

Chironis, N P

This article discusses the increased interest in in-pit conveyors and equipment to enhance the production abilities of the main stripping tools--the draglines and the shovels. The advantages and limitations of various upper-overburden removal methods, including scrapers, bucket wheel excavators and conveyors, shovel trucks, shovel-hoppers and conveyors, draglines and draglinehoppers and conveyors are compared. Also discussed is the field experience of a cross-pit conveyor (CPC) in the Texas lignite fields. The CPC working with a set of bucket wheel excavators and a dragline, feeds excavated overburden on conveyors directly across the pit via a cantileveered boom with a reach of 550 to 700 ft from centerline of base to centerline of discharge-pulley shaft. Advantages of using a CPC are: less capital intensive; more mobile; reduced exposed mine area; much shorter total length of conveying units; fewer operating and maintenance persons needed; and better mechanical availability.

• OSTI ID: 6022774
• Journal Information: Coal Age; (United States), Vol. 90:7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
42 ENGINEERING
BELT CONVEYORS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
PERFORMANCE
BUCKET WHEEL EXCAVATORS
EARTHMOVING EQUIPMENT
SURFACE MINING
MINING EQUIPMENT
COAL MINES
DRAGLINES
HAULAGE EQUIPMENT
OVERBURDEN
REMOVAL
CONVEYORS
EQUIPMENT
MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT
MINES
MINING
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
012000* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Mining
013000 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Transport
Handling
& Storage
420206 - Engineering- Mining & Drilling Equipment & Facilities- (1980-1989)