A new approach to steep-angle conveying in quarries and smaller open-pit mines with thyssenkrupp’s Skip Way System

Energy-balanced

Quelle/Source: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG

1 Alternative ore/mineral and overburden haulage in open-pit mines and quarries

Quelle/Source: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG

2 thyssenkrupp cable cranes for dam construction

Quelle/Source: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG

3 Overview: Tandem Skip Way System with options ‘Truck-2-Truck’ and ‘Truck-2-Crusher’

Quelle/Source: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG

4 Truck unloading/skip loading station at bottom of mine

Quelle/Source: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG

5 Skip cross section with side wear plates and rails in skip baseplate

Quelle/Source: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG

6 Skip with spring-mounted support frame, rope deflector sheave, and tandem rope carriage

Quelle/Source: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG

7 Overview of conveying system with bottom and top stations (mine cross section)

Quelle/Source: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG

8 Plan view of mine with skip upward and downward movements

Quelle/Source: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG

9 Overview of skip unloading stations with crusher charging and truck re-loading

Quelle/Source: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG

10 Truck re-loading station at the mine rim

Quelle/Source: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG

11 Diagram of rope run with coupled skips over a drive station

Quelle/Source: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG

12 Travel rope drive station with double grooved traction sheave and deflec-tor sheave for rope return to the traction sheave

Quelle/Source: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG

13 Skip working sequence for one of two skips (1000 t/h)

Quelle/Source: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG

14 Typical torque curve of drive motor during skip upward travel

Quelle/Source: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG

15 Design data for a skip system with 1000 t/h handling capacity (Example)

Quelle/Source: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG

16 Flexible layouts of unloading and loading stations and arrangement of drive station

Quelle/Source: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG

17 Reduction of heavy haul traffic in open-pit mines through use of steep-angle conveying systems

Quelle/Source: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG

thyssenkrupp Skip Way System

Quelle/Source: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG

Summary: Balanced-skip haulage systems are one of the mining industry’s most mature technologies. Now thyssenkrupp offers the advantages of rope running incline skips to open pits and quarries where haul truck operating costs are reducing profitability. The capital and operating economics of that system are very compelling, with dramatic reductions in CO₂ emissions. With this system, haul trucks have a short, flat haul before discharging their loads into a waiting skip. With a system capacity of more than 2000 t/h, a skip conveys unfractured ore or excavation material to the upper mine rim to feed a crushing station with downstream long-distance conveyor. Alternatively – in the case of excavation material – even heavy duty vehicles can be loaded for further transport.

Quarries and open-pit mines for ores, building materials, minerals and coal are often characterized by steep terraced slopes formed over many decades by blasting and material removal. Depending on the stability of the ground a slope angle is chosen that will prevent slippage, particularly in loose rock and in regions at risk of earthquakes.

The terraced slopes with inclines from 25 to in some cases 75° are intersected by slowly rising roads that carry heavy truck traffic and also secure access to the mine. The serpentine roads generally have two lanes or feature lay-bys to allow two-way...