Mine Material Containers for Loss-Controlled Transport and Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional transportation methods in mines face challenges such as high operational and maintenance costs, material loss due to environmental factors, and dilution of materials during storage and transport, particularly in surface and underground mining operations.
Innovation Solution
The use of containers that can be loaded onto movable or moving units, allowing for efficient transportation and storage of mined materials within and outside the mine, with tracking systems to manage material properties and locations, reducing material loss and dilution by using closed containers and optimized logistics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If conventional transportation methods (haul trucks, conveyors) are used to transport mined material, then material can be moved within the mine and from the mine, but operational and maintenance costs are high and material loss occurs due to environmental factors
Solution Approach 1:
The mined material is divided into discrete container loads rather than being transported as continuous bulk material. Each container is a separate unit that can be individually tracked, protected, and managed, reducing material loss while maintaining transportation efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
Containers serve as intermediary elements between the mining operation and the final destination. These containers protect the material from environmental factors during transport and storage, eliminating material loss while allowing efficient logistics management through standardized units
2Adaptability or versatility
If material is stored in open stockpiles during transport and storage, then logistics flexibility is improved, but material dilution occurs due to mixing and environmental exposure
Solution Approach 1:
Material is segmented into individual container units rather than being stored as mixed bulk material in open stockpiles. Each container maintains the purity of its contents while the system as a whole provides logistics flexibility through standardized, interchangeable units that can be stacked and relocated
Solution Approach 2:
The container acts as a protective shell that isolates the material from environmental factors and other materials. This prevents dilution and contamination while allowing the containers to be stacked and moved flexibly, providing both protection and logistics adaptability
3Quantity of substance
If conventional open stockpiling methods are used, then storage capacity is increased, but material properties are diluted and lost
Solution Approach 1:
A tracking system provides continuous feedback on the location, status, and material properties of each container. This allows the system to maintain accurate information about material properties throughout storage and transport, preventing information loss while enabling large-scale storage through systematic management
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting material into individually trackable containers, the system can maintain precise information about each container's contents. The tracking system records material properties for each unit, preventing information loss even as storage capacity scales to accommodate large numbers of containers
Data Source
AI summary
Mined material is transported within and outside a mine (10) in containers (26) that are fixed. discrete load units. namely containers that define a fixed maximum volume that can be carried in each container. The containers can be carried on or coupled to and then removed from vehicles (16) or other transport options. such as flatbed trucks. flatbed rail carriages or overhead suspension units. The containers can be stored at designated container storage facilities (28) in the mine. The container storage facilities are holding areas for loaded containers at mines until decisions are made to transport the containers to mineral processing plants (30) in the mine or to end-use customers. for example via rail to a shipping port (24).