Ministro Hales Mine is an open pit copper/gold mine in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. Average ore production is 50,000 metric tons per day.
In 2012, the mine purchased 5,600 ft of ENDURAPLY and ENDURAPLY PLUS belting in widths of 18″, 36″, 42″, 48″, and 60″.
ENDURAPLY is designed for the heaviest mining applications. A polyester-nylon Crowfoot weave belt with high strength double cord weft ensures unequaled impact, puncture, and rip protection in textile belting. The heaviest warp and weft strength in the industry assures low stretch and trouble-free reliability, and specially compounded high quality rubber skims provide superior shock absorption and high adhesive strength.
The 42″ and 60″ ENDURAPLY PLUS were manufactured with special inductive loops at 30 meter intervals. Transmitter/receiver pairs were installed along the conveyor at areas of risk which detect the loops as they pass and shutdown the conveyor if a loop is damaged as the result of a rip. This limits the amount of belting lost, in many cases preventing a complete belt loss.