The latest innovation in H & B Mining’s conveyor transfer product range is the Speilbar (false deck) design. Comprehensive conveyor chute maintenance is essential for optimal material flow and containment, and ultimately mine productivity.

The H&B Speilbar design offers two major benefits when performing chute maintenance tasks:

• Conveyor remains operational (no loss in productivity)
• Access to all chute liners, including liners at the chute-skirt interface

The Speilbar (false deck) design creates a false deck below the chute area, offering 100% chute liner maintenance while the conveyor is operational.

One of the ‘Big-4’ iron-ore mines in the Pilbara contacted H & B Mining with an invitation to review an existing multiple feed conveyor, specifically looking for an improved Speilbar (false deck) design at each chute interface. The first step was a site visit to examine, inspect and measure the existing conveyor transfer points to consider design options.

Once armed with the sitework notes and knowledge of the existing transfer chute arrangements, extensive design layout work followed to find the best solution. Following lengthy discussions, problem solving and consultation, the H & B Speilbar (false deck) design was born! The concept evolved into a Modular Speilbar False Deck design utilising short skirt panels to incorporate speilbars, a Speilbar locking mechanism and a post-less guarding system.

To ensure the newly designed Speilbar skirts could handle and support the inserted speil bars a mock model was manufactured and assembled for testing. Once the mock model passed the test, the design was finalised to include the Speilbar locking mechanism and the post-less guards.

Next, H & B provided the client with a comprehensive modular Speilbar design customised to suit each existing transfer point, depicting the design and maintenance features for each transfer. The first Speilbar (false deck) module was successfully installed in June 2020.

The notion of not shutting down a conveyor to perform chute maintenance on a multiple feed conveyor was once deemed impossible. A moment of inspiration enabled H & B to combine the Speilbar design with the conveyor skirt design whilst retaining the existing parameters of the original skirt. Spiel bars feed through custom-designed Speilbar skirts to create a false deck inside the conveyor chute below the chute-skirt interface. Chute maintenance is now possible on multiple transfer conveyors while the conveyor remains operational.

H & B also have a full-scale model of a chute with the Speilbar (false deck) design located at Breight Group in Perth. Get in touch for more information and arranging to view the model, phone (08) 9403 2993.