Method and apparatus for promoting release of fines

Claim 1

A method of conveying ore materials characterized in having fines associated therewith from one point to another through the employment of an endless conveyor belt having a tail end proximate said one point and a head end proximate said another point, said method comprising: supporting said belt at its tail end and at its head end and between two ends so as to provide support for said belt and for the material to be conveyed therebetween; loading the material to be conveyed upon the belt at a point proximate said tail end of said belt; driving said belt from said tail end toward said head end thereby conveying the material to said head end, the conveyed material being deposited proximate said head end as said belt begins to change direction and returns to its starting point proximate said tail end; and selectively applying an aqueous solution of a waterbase silicone emulsion to the material supporting side of said belt at a point between the head end and the loading point proximate the belt's return path and in a concentration sufficient to promote the substantially complete release of such fines from said belt proximate said head end along with the material being conveyed thereby preventingthe undersirable build-up of fines at points along the belt's return path of travel between said head end and said tail end, said concentration of silicone emulsion being within the range of 0.15% to 0.5% of silicone fluid, said concentration being equal to the moisture content of the ore material being conveyed times the area of conveyor belt passing a given point during a given time period divided by the total of the strength of the water-base silicone emulsion times the application rate of the silicone emulsion to the belt for said given time period times a constant equal to 10 6 .

Claim 2

A method of conveying ore materials characterized in having fines associated therewith from one point to another through the employment of an endless conveyor belt having a tail end proximate said one point and a head end proximate said another point, said method comprising: supporting said belt at its tail end and at its head end and between two ends so as to provide support for said belt and for the material to be conveyed therebetween; loading the material to be conveyed upon the belt at a point proximate said tail end of said belt; driving said belt from said tail end toward said head end thereby conveying the material to said head end, the conveyed material being deposited proximate said head end as said belt begins to change direction and returns to its starting point proximate said tail end; and selectively applying an aqueous solution of a waterbase silicone emulsion to the material supporting side of said belt at a point between the head end and the loading point proximate the belt's return path and in a concentration sufficient to promote the substantially complete release of such fines from said belt proximate said head end along with the material being conveyed thereby preventingthe undersirable build-up of fines at points along the belt's return path of travel between said head end and said tail end, said concentration of silicone emulsion being within the range of 0.15% to 0.5% of silicone fluid, said concentration being equal to the moisture content of the ore material being conveyed times the area of conveyor belt passing a given point during a given time period divided by the total of the strength of the water-base silicone emulsion times the application rate of the silicone emulsion to the belt for said given time period times a constant equal to 10 6 .