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What is the current demand-supply scenario for bulk handling and stockyard equipment for the mining sector?
Projections of demand-supply at current levels are unpredictable and ambiguous; the reason being, nearly Rs 10 lakh crore worth projects are stalled for want of government clearances; unless clarity exists on these projects, we cannot forecast anything. However, my perspective is that the impact on growth was down by around 10 per cent.

In spite of the prevailing complex situations, Indian bulk material handling has a bright future as the 12th Plan investments in infrastructure is going to be nearly 10 per cent of the GDP. If this planned investment is realised, it will propel the economy onto a higher trajectory, which will lead to abundant business opportunities for the bulk material handling sector since it is a key contributor to infrastructure growth.

Which major areas need to be addressed on a war footing?
We need to be optimisstic. I am positive that the government will act on clearing the hurdles on pending projects by giving revised policy guidelines on the specific areas of concerns. Some areas where the government has to work on are:

• Forming a task force, comprising a group of efficient ministers/bureaucrats/institutions and industria?lists to clear all pending projects.
• Empowering the task force to take time-bound decisions on the various major projects which are stalled.
• Identifying policy paralysis areas, removing hurdles expeditiously and putting a transparent policy in place which will be immune to frequent judicial intervention.
• Financial institutions and banks to be empowered and made accountable and also freed from political interference.
• Ensuring time-bound project execution from project implementers.
• Creating a constructive industrial atmosphere.

What are the latest trends in bulk handling equipment, especially for the mining sector?
Bevcon Wayors is specialised in new generation/innovative conveying systems which cater to current demands of Indian process industries. The equipment includes:

Steep Angle 900 cleated belt conveyors: These are used to transport material from 0o horizontal to 900 vertical lift with zero spillage. The design of the corrugated sidewalls is such that they have excellent resistance to idler penetration on return side supports.

Sandwich-type high angle conveyors: Sandwich snake belt conveyors are so named due to the manner in which the material is sandwiched between two rubber belts before it is inclined at angles up to 900.

Cross country/overland belt conveyor: In the power and mining industries, moving large quantities of material long distances reliably is an everyday necessity and requires a special type of conveyor which runs day in and day out. Bevcon, in technical collaboration with Dos Santos Intl, USA, is developing such systems. Using belt conveyors to bring ore and coal from the mines to processing plants or power plants has been proven to be an efficient method of transportation. These conveyors can follow most terrain and have little or no impact on the environment. Operating and maintenance costs are low and are extremely safe to operate.

Overland pipe conveyor: The pipe conveyor is a modern and environment-friendly transport system solving numerous problems associated with conventional conveyor systems. The benefits are spillage-free transportation; no build-up on idlers; can negotiate tight horizontal and vertical curves; can elevate vertically 50 per cent more than conventional conveyors, has excellent belt edge damage control unaffected by wind and rain, thus requires no covers, and reduced structural costs by eliminating walkways.

Introduction of high efficient flip-flow screens: For screening of very high moisture materials, more specifically coal, this has changed the philosophy of conventional screening methods in the power sector. In India, coal is the most sought after fuel for thermal power units and most of the time, either it is imported or mined from open cast mines and stored in open areas leading to high moisture absorption. The high moisture levels in the coal will be crushed and screened before it goes for boiler firing. Conventional screening methods are not very productive to meet the demands of the plant. The introduction of the flip- flow screen will give it the ability to screen coal with moisture of 40 per cent.

Stockyard equipment: The central function of stockyards in the field of bulk material handling lies in the buffering, blending and storage between incoming and outgoing materials. The stockyards for mines, power plants, beneficiation plants, ports and terminals, are developed in a circular or longitudinal layout incorporating feed conveyors, stackers and reclaimers. Our stockyard system range consists of bucket-wheel reclaimers, stackers, combined stacker/reclaimers, full and semi-portal scrapper reclaimers. Circular and linear storage sheds: Bevcon in association with Bafang, China, will offer complete solutions to Indian stockyard application in the form of supplying the stackers, reclaimers and storage sheds, which is unique to any Indian material handling organisation.

What is the growth potential for in-pit crushing and conveying (IPCC) system in the mining sector?
Bevcon Wayors is a pioneer in the domain of bulk material handling solutions. Over and again, we have introduced new technology in this sector, taking the nation a few notches higher in industrial growth. The sandwich belt conveyor has been introduced in India by Bevcon Wayors and stands out for its originality in design.

The introduction of sandwich conveyors for open pit mine and IPCC is a breakthrough concept in conveying any mineral from pit bottom to the surface by totally eliminating the use of conventional trucks. It also minimises environmental degradation, brings down the operational costs drastically and enhances productivity and product quality. It is a unique concept for the Indian mining industry.

Could you brief us on the high angle sandwich belt conveyor?
Sandwich snake belt conveyors are so named due to the manner in which the material is sandwiched between two rubber belts before it is inclined at angles up to 90. The material is hugged by the belts throughout the inclined section to ensure that it does not slide back down the incline, even if the conveyor trips.

A sandwich belt conveyor consists of two endless belt conveyors that share a common load carrying path. The top and bottom belts are independently driven and tensioned. Along the carrying path, the top and bottom belts are alternately supported against closely spaced toughing idlers. Radial pressure, due to belt tension and the curving profile, continuously hugs the material that is sandwiched between the two belts. Internal friction is developed and bulk material can be conveyed at any high angle up to the vertical.

Sandwich belt conveyors are available in widely ranging profiles of C and S-profiles. Dramatic reduction in energy use and environmental impact can be achieved with sandwich belt high angle conveyors that serve as the vital link in any IPCC system. These high-angle conveyors are not new but have not, as yet, found wide use in IPCC systems where they can reveal their great advantage.