’’RAM SPREADERS & MMG LAS BAMBAS SCOOP THE 2016 INTERNATIONAL BULK JOURNAL AWARD FOR INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY

The IBJ Awards held annually celebrate excellence in the bulk handling industry.  This year’s event took place at the historical and iconic Tower of London Pavilion UK, 21st November.

Amongst the awards, RAM Spreaders together with MMG Las Bambas Peru scooped the Innovative Technology Award for Cargo Handling with their Bi-Modal Containerised Bulk Handling solution.

Shortlisted by the IBJ panel of Judges, RAM and MMG Las Bambas in Peru were extremely proud that the panel of judges recognised the innovative technology as demonstrated in a case study detailing the low cost bi-modal solution for exporting copper concentrate from the remote mining facility and transporting it 710km to the Port of Matarani in sealed containers.

The bi-modal containerised bulk handling process involves the clever use of sealed bulk containers as the method of transport and storage, which reduces dust and protects the commodity from contamination.

The containers filled at the mine are sealed with a lid and transported by truck on the first leg of the journey where they reach the rail transfer point.  The containers are then sent by rail to arrive at the final destination in the transfer building at the port at Matarani.   Two rotating spreaders called “RAM Revolver®” are attached to Bridge Crane’s inside the transfer building.  The cranes are semi-automatically controlled to manoeuvre and pick up the containers from the railcars, the lids are then automatically lifted from the container by the revolver before the containers reach the hopper where the operator, using a remote control, rotates the revolver, tipping the copper concentrate into the hopper to complete the export process.

Click here to view the video showing the Innovative Bi-Modal Containerised Bulk Handling solution.