replacing a fleet of trucks. This overland conveyor, rated at 1,600tph (tonnes per hour) travels downhill from the mine site to the stockpiling area, following a negative slope with a height difference of –250m and an aggressive trajectory including a combination of four horizontal curves and vertical curves. This downhill configuration sees electrical power being generated at a rate of a few hundred kilowatts when material is conveyed. Thanks to state-of-the-art frequency converters, this generated power feeds other electrical consumers, and the overland conveyor belt can be controlled in any material loading configuration. RBL REI’s depth of experience in this field includes a hydraulically controlled braking system allowing, in case of a power shutdown, to stop this very long conveyor in fewer than ten seconds. The second phase of the installation includes a set of conveyors and transfer towers connecting to the existing
stockyard system. This will allow for an increase in loading capacity from 2,500tph up to 4,000tph (design capacity), integration of a material product sampling system and another transfer tower to direct the enriched manganese ore. RBL REI has designed a specific solution to integrate the new equipment with a minimum production downtime. Thanks to an embedded real time tracking device, RBL REI and the end-user can remotely monitor the performance of the conveying system and predict any upcoming maintenance operation. From initial concept creation to final system commissioning, RBL-REI provides its clients with comprehensive engineered solutions that utilize the latest industry design tools to ensure maximum efficiency. RBL REI’s team of highly qualified engineers is mastering the art of handling any kind of solid bulk material and is involved in the ports, mining, quarry, tunnelling, environment and energy industries.
www.drycargomag.com
Environmental considerations and a desire for more cost-effective solutions are pushing mining and exporting companies to find alternatives to transport their bulk material. The Gabonese company, COMILOG (part of French global mining and metallurgy group Eramet), faced this exact challenge while implementing a project to increase its production. COMILOG specializes in the extraction and processing of manganese ore. Due to an increase in demand, the company is now producing over 5mt (million tonnes) per year. COMILOG mines, processes, transports and ships the ores using an existing combination of conveyors, train wagons, stockyard and shiploader. This existing system, working on a daily basis, was designed and implemented more than three decades ago by France-based company RBL REI, and has been operating successfully since then. Thirty-five years after the system was set up, COMILOG showed its trust in RBL REI when it decided to improve operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the existing installation, for which RBL REI offered its most advanced solution. RBL REI is world-renowned for the calculation, design, manufacturing and construction of bulk handling systems, and has been in operation for almost 50 years. Moreover, some of the company’s installations — which are present on the five continents — were achieved in the most challenging and extreme environmental conditions. The first phase of the project was successfully commissioned over the summer. The new ore transport system supplied by RBL-REI includes a package of belt conveyors at the Moanda mine site. The longest of these is an overland conveyor measuring more than 6.5km,
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT
RBL REI offers green and cost-effective solutions for bulk conveying
SEPTEMBER 2023
DCi 65
