Although efforts towards producing a `total quality rockfill product' have
allowed cemented rockfill costs to be reduced considerably, there is still
tremendous potential for further cost reductions. Cemented rockfill costs range from approximately $7 to $12 (US) per
tonne of fill placed. Approximately 50 per cent of the rockfill costs are
associated with cement costs. A large portion of the remaining 50 per
cent is associated with labour and materials handling costs. Several Canadian underground mines utilise haulage trucks and/or
conventional belt conveyors to distribute the rockfill. However, due to the
restrictive nature of the underground environment, these current materials
handling systems have limitations (ie spillage from trucks, dust from
conveyors). The Sicon conveyor system (developed in Sweden) has
considerable potential for replacing these current methods. The Sicon
conveyor utilises a revolutionary approach - the conveyor belt is folded
over upon itself (forming a tear drop shape) so that the transported
material is completely encased within the belt. The Sicon conveyor's
ability to negotiate very tight comers (without transfer points) makes the
conveyor very appealing for underground mining applications. An
analysis comparing the pros and cons associated with the Sicon conveyor
system versus conventional materials handling systems will be presented
in this paper.