A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR CEMENTED ROCKFILL DISTRIBUTION IN BULK MINING

Although efforts toward producing a “total quality rockfill product” have allowed cemented rockfill costs to be reduced considerably, there is still tremendous potential for further cost reductions. Cemented rockfill costs range from approximately USD7 to USD12 per tonne of fill placed. Approximately fifty percent of the rockfill costs are associated with cement costs. A large portion of the remaining fifty percent is associated with labour and materials handling costs. Several Canadian underground mines use haulage trucks and/or conventional belt conveyors to distribute the rockfill. However, due to the restrictive nature of the underground environment, these materials handling systems have some drawbacks such as spillage from trucks or dust from conveyors. The Sicon conveyor system developed in Sweden has considerable potential to replace currently used methods. The Sicon conveyor utilizes a revolutionary approach with the conveyor belt folded over upon itself (forming a tear drop shape) so that the transported material is completely encased within the belt. The Sicon conveyor’s ability to negotiate very tight corners (without transfer points) makes the conveyor very appealing for underground mining applications. An analysis comparing the pros and cons associated with the Sicon conveyor system versus conventional materials handling systems will be presented in this paper.