The continued lack of focus on optimising transfer points is costing process plants money. It is a known fact that transfer points can contribute to some of the highest maintenance costs on a mine, yet many engineers often do not view transfer systems as a critical element of the minerals processing system.

Mark Baller, managing director of Weba Chute Systems, maintains that transfer points, by the very nature of their application, should be given the same level of importance as any other machinery in the minerals processing cycle.

“The uncontrolled discharge of bulk materials through conventional chutes has a history of escalated maintenance and replacement costs, not least of which can be attributed to excessive wear and other related problems,” Baller says. “All of which adds up to unnecessary expenditure and a headache for the engineers concerned.”

Weba Chute Systems has proved through numerous successful installations that the correct design and engineering of a transfer point can dramatically increase throughput and decrease unplanned downtime with its associated maintenance costs. Baller explains that the company is known for its use of a streamlined scientific approach to the dynamics of bulk materials handling which completely eliminates the problems associated with conventional transfer chutes and results in significant cost savings.

Each Weba Chute System is custom designed for an application taking into accounts factors such as belt width, belt speed, material sizes and shape and throughput. Baller says that when used on a new project the result is the optimum design configuration for the application with the best belt cleaning arrangement and optimum selection of belt type and size. In addition, in this instance spillage can be completely eliminated.

He is quick to also point out that major benefits can apply to both retrofitted Weba Chute Systems as well as new projects and these include up to an 80% reduction in material degradation, greatly reduced levels of dust and noise, reduced production losses due to fewer blockages, significantly reduced spillage and vastly improved levels of safety.

Easy access is provided for inspection and maintenance purposes, and the system does not require ongoing supervision, again a saving in manpower and related costs.

Explaining the innovative Weba Chute System concept, Baller says that it is not an alternative to conventional chute systems. It is a completely different and unique approach for the control and handling of bulk materials. The system uses a “supertube” with a cascade scenario where 95% of the material runs on material at the same time.

Baller says that when viewed in slow motion it becomes apparent that the bottom layer of particles moves in a tumbling motion on the product screen and does not glide down the chute. “This results in significantly reduced wear, and in many cases the lip remains completely covered by material and never needs replacement,” he adds.

This manner of controlling the material movement is taken a step further by designing the internal angle of the transfer chute to match the product with the belt speed and in so doing spillage is either completely eliminated or greatly reduced.

“We believe that our extensive experience and technical expertise coupled with our team’s applications knowledge has positioned Weba Chute Systems as the leader in transfer point design,” Baller says. Design of systems is done using sophisticated 3D computer software, and data received from the customer is always verified.

Quality manufacture also forms an important part of the process, and performance guarantees set in accordance with operational and application parameters are provided with all Weba Chute Systems.