When designing the materials handling component of a plant layout, engineers will often use database designs that are tried and tested.
These designs have proven to work over the years, which is why many product stockpile conveyors create a conical stockpile with a fixed boom length and fixed boom height.
To make life easier for mining companies, Lincom Group and Thor Global have collaborated to design a stacker that can be quickly and easily set up for this task.
The Thor Towerstacker Telescopic Cable Mast Conveyor is versatile and adaptable, allowing companies to easily integrate it into their operations.
Lincom chief executive officer Stephen Watterson said time is of the essence in the mining industry.
“It’s that ease of getting it built quickly, getting it erected quickly and getting mines up and running quickly,” he said.
Timing was a major factor for a Central Queensland thermal coal open pit mine, which purchased two Thor Towerstackers.
Fitted with luffing capability, the stacker can be raised or lowered to ensure that the material discharged is as close as operationally possible to mitigate material degradation or dust generation.
The stacker combines a radial and telescopic functionality to maximise the available real estate and substantial additional stockpile capacity. By slewing to a set point, it can also be used to transfer to another conveyor or create an emergency stockpile.
The successful project is recognised as a finalist for the Australian Bulk Handling Awards 2021, with winners to be announced on 25 August 2022 at BULK2022.
The Thor Towerstackers used an existing modular design and standard mechanical products to reduce the overall capital project cost, while reducing operational costs through non-proprietary components.
Watterson said the price point of the machine is what sets the towerstacker apart from the competition.
“The price point of that machine, bringing an off-the-shelf item in here, has been very competitive for us. It’s a price-competitive machine that’s doing 1800 tonnes an hour of coal – you’re talking big tonnages,” he said.
For the coal project, the structural design of the stacker and associated items conform with the engineering company structural design criteria and with the relevant Australian Standards (particularly AS1170 and AS4324.1).
“We’ve done enough of these machines in the country now that we meet all the Australian Standards for electrical, for structures, and in particular in Queensland, we meet the Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ) process,” Watterson said.
“The RPEQ is a very stringent set of engineering checks from an independent party that has to do a sign-off on the design. It’s not about just giving them a brochure, they get full structural drawings and more. So, for these machines to pass that – it’s a huge feather in our cap.
“The Australian Standards are one thing, the RPEQ is another, so you’re under very stringent controls there to meet – that’s from access to walkways, to any of the safety features that have to be factored into the hydraulics system, to the deflection of the actual conveyor itself, the structure.”
The stacker is fitted with storm anchorage to prevent it moving during intense storm conditions. All maintenance points are easily accessible through a system of walkways or by bringing the machine to ground level.
Watterson expects the conveyor will continue to draw interest and as Lincom continues its collaborations with Thor, more opportunities will arise.
“For the Thor Towerstacker itself, there will be three of these Towerstackers in Australia, and we would continue to promote them in these new mines and/or mine expansions,” he said.
“Thor also has another range, which is its standard radial stockpilers which are on wheels.”
Lincom supplies Thor’s Top Fold Portable Radial Conveyor, Telescopic Portable Radial Conveyor and Low Profile Telescopic Portable Radial Conveyor, each of which offer their own unique attributes for mining operations.
Watterson believes there are both cost and safety benefits by going with Thor.
“From a cost point of view, it’s a great addition to any setup, saving money by reducing expenses on maintaining a wheel loader and an operator,” Watterson said.
“You plug the thing in, the stacker’s always going to be at work the next day, it’s reliable and will get the job done.”
This article appears in the August issue of the Bulk Handling Magazine.