Piloting new rail system with CVRD Inco tracking progress in Northern climes.

A revolutionary new rail system will be piloted at two of CVRD Inco mines and if all goes well, professionals believe they will see sweeping changes, particularly in deep mine production. Rail-Veyor is a materials handling system that loosely resembles a conventional train system, a conveyer belt and a roller coaster.

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It consists of a series of connected cars with two wheels attached to the car in front by a special coupling system. This supports the front end of the car and allows for articulated motion either horizontally or vertically. The car's shape resembles a trough and is connected to one another by a flexible flap. This prevents feed spillage between the cars and forms a chute when it comes time for dumping.

The unique feature of the system is the drive mechanism. Rotating foam-filled tires mounted horizontally onto the rail track connects with the installed plates on the side of the cars that gives it motion. Contact with the rotating tires pushes the train forward. Since a diesel engine does not push this train, the weight is determined by the car and its contents.

"If we can show that this thing is safe and reliable and will go upgrades and around corners and back down and provide a very simple relatively inexpensive materials handling system, that could revolutionize deep mining," Fred Baker of Rail-Veyor Technologies Inc.

"Everything becomes a lot easier because you don't have this big heavy locomotive."

Currently, the rail systems underground is being lead by large heavy locomotives using electricity or diesel. Traditional cars usually have a front and back system, and therefore stop and go loading for each car takes time.

The open concept of the Rail-Veyor means it has one continuous feed, similar to that of a conveyor belt.

The difference is, conveyor belts cannot turn corners and one would have to ensure a safe transfer of weight in each car to balance the ore from one station to another.

Baker says the new train system may prove to have applications in deep mining.

The further underground one goes, the more stress is put on the rock. Larger openings are not congruent with going deeper, Baker says. If the future of mining is to increase production, then larger haulage vehicles will be required to operate at depth. The volume of ventilation then becomes a factor, as does the space it requires to operate it.

Rail-Veyor is run by a small electric motor from a control room, Baker says.

"As you go deeper, the openings could be smaller and the ventilation requirements could be less."

Risto Laamanen, president of Laamanen Construction Ltd. and CEO of Wallbridge Mining Company Ltd. has the North American marketing rights for Rail-Veyor. Both he and CVRD Inco's manager of business planning & mines technical services, Alex Henderson, are beginning a pilot project on North Mine's surface. Another evaluation will be done at the Copper Cliff offset underground. A new shaft that will be sunk to 5,600 feet. The offset is approximately 14 kilometres along strike.

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"The idea will be to install the rail system (along strike) that will pull the ore to the central shaft," Henderson says.

The train will be tested on environmental, health and safety, wear and tear, other critical performance issues including how it will respond on a 15 per cent incline, when it is stopped, fully loaded, in an emergency situation and restarted again.

Essentially the Rail-Veyor would fill up at a feeding station, then climb to the top of the rail ramp, dump the material and in the process complete an inverted loop as it returns via a roll over mechanism. It can also return upside down using a second set of rails underneath the first set. To increase production capacity, more trains can be added.

"It is very easy to increase production without increasing any infrastructure, other than the cost of another set of cars," Baker says.

A demonstration unit has been built in Florida and one is now in operation in a South African gold mine 2,500 metres below surface. Challenges facing mine production in South Africa differ from the ones experienced in the Canadian Shield, particularly in the winter. For this reason the project will run for 18 months.

Baker says this not only has mining applications, but can be suited for any materials handling systems including people, but the real break through is expected to come from below surface.

Laamanen says if mining houses are interested in using Rail-Veyor for production, his construction company would begin the manufacturing process, keeping jobs and production on home soil.

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www.wallbridgemining.com

By KELLY LOUISEIZE

Northern Ontario Business