“The role of transfer chutes in a plant is traditionally underestimated. Based on our decades of experience, a significant portion of plant downtime is generally attributable to transfer chutes, be it through blockages, spillage or high chute wear,” says Mark Baller, managing director of Weba Chute Systems . “That’s why chutes should never be considered an afterthought in plant designs. An experienced chute manufacturer should therefore be part of the design process from the very start.”
Weba Chute Systems has over the years forged strong relationships with several leading EPCMs, and Mark notes that there is an noticeable change in attitude towards the role of chutes in plant designs. Many EPCMs, he says, have seen the importance of getting a chute supplier involved at an early stage of the design process.
“Involving us in the early stages of plant designs eliminates the need for time-consuming and costly modifications, which is often the case when a chute supplier is only consulted at a later stage of the process. Correct transfer chute designs eliminate unplanned plant stoppages and production losses down the line, thus boosting revenues for the mine,” Mark concludes.
