Project details
CWA was retained to design the offloading and process conveyor systems for Vale-Inco’s Long Harbour limestone and nickel concentrate processing facility. The systems are comprised of 15 separate conveyors totalling 1,400 metres in length, including:
- A 602-metre fully-enclosed tubular offloading conveyor from the wharf to the storage building.
- A 114-metre tripper conveyor including a 20-metre-long tripper with a moveable head chute capable of tripping the nickel material or allowing the limestone material to flow through to the limestone system.
- A 58-metre luffing conveyor that allows limestone to be dropped from a low height to minimize dust generation as the stockpile is built up.
- Multiple limestone and nickel processing conveyors and hoppers.
- Conveyors to storage.
Solutions
CWA worked directly with the fabricator to optimize the designs at an early stage through extensive use of 3D modelling and discrete element method (DEM) modelling. The final designs provided the flexibility required to handle multiple products and included features to improve worker health and mitigate environmental impacts through the minimization of dust generation.