REMA TIP TOP’s Global Resources Unite for a Snowbound Belt Install

Companies in the mining sector are in no shortage of resources. However, finding a multi-national company that will share resources across the world? That’s different.

REMA TIP TOP Austria won a project to install a 5.5km overland conveyor system at a new gold mine in Armenia, down the side of a snow-covered mountain. While installing a conveyor belt of this length in 40-degree heat is something REMA TIP TOP Australia is all too familiar with, doing it standing knee-deep in snow and sliding on ice was a learning curve.

Due to the complexity of this project, REMA TIP TOP called on their resources and expertise from around the world to ensure the project was completed with the high level of excellence that REMA TIP TOP is synonymous with.

The international crew included:

• Special Projects Manager (Australia): Ben, flown in to help coordinate the project
• Splice crew: Russia
• Engineering team: Chile
• Quality Assurance specialists: Poland and Chile
• Conveyor technicians: Armenia, Austria and Germany

Companies in the mining sector are in no shortage of resources. However, finding a multi-national company that will share resources across the world? That’s different.”

The new gold mine’s overland conveyor was fitted with over 11 km of 1,200 mm wide ST6000 belt. The starting height was 2,600m above ground, dropping down to 1,800m at the base. The belt had to contour to the natural form of the mountain; it wasn’t linear, with numerous corners and terrain changes requiring careful engineering consideration throughout the installation.

The belt was also vulcanized using Almex Group (a division of REMA TIP TOP) presses. Freezing temperatures of -14°C, sometimes down to -22°C at night, meant maintaining the high heat required to initiate vulcanization was extremely difficult. However, with REMA TIP TOP adhesives, Almex presses and a specialised engineering team, all 23 splices, each 5.6m long, were completed without issue.

7 countries contributed resources: Australia, Russia, Chile, Poland, Armenia, Austria, and Germany
11 km of 1,200 mm wide ST6000 belt installed
5.5km overland conveyor across a snow-covered mountain face
23 splices completed, all without issue in temperatures down to -22°C
2.5 months to complete, including a 3-week forced stop due to heavy snowfall

After 2.5 months, the work was successfully completed incident and injury free. We’re looking forward to another global collaboration when it comes time to replace the belt.

Have a complex project that you need help with? Contact our projects team.

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