Mining / Bulk Processing Container Handling

Introduction

Mining products, or the resulting processed goods, are often high value and are shipped in containers. 

Examples are mineral sands, magnesia and lead concentrate.

Typically, processing plants do have a small loading area where containers are filled, often by tipping the containers.  Sometimes the goods are in bulk bags. 

The turnover of containers is often not very high, sometimes 10 to 20 per day.  Typically, space to store containers at the perimeters of the plant is available, and stacking of containers is not needed.

The Problem

There is limited space at the packing station and container forklift trucks or reach stackers need too much space. 

Sometimes there is some distance from where the empty containers are stored, and where the containers need to be packed. This rules out using container forklifts or reach stackers, as these machines are too heavy, and too dangerous to operate as a container transporter in a processing plant. 

Sometimes containers were left on trailers while being filled, resulting in large demurrage costs.

Processors were looking for a safe, light and low cost container handler that could simply remove a container from a road truck and place it anywhere in a small yard, until the container was needed for packing.

The Container Handling Solution

The Mobicon Straddle Carrier fulfills the requirements of the processing industry.

The Mobicon simply takes a container off a delivering truck, places it in a storage area, and then places a loaded container back on the truck. 

This whole process takes less than 10 minutes. 

When it is time to fill the container, the Mobicon simply collects the container from the storage area and places it on the tipping frame or close to the bag-filling area. 

Containers can also be placed under low awnings or even inside buildings, keeping goods protected from the elements.

The Benefits

• Separating the packing of the container from the transport of the container means that waiting times for the transport companies are reduced, saving money.
• There is also a benefit to being able to pack or unpack containers at the manufacturer’s leisure, instead of being forced to pack or unpack because the truck is waiting.
• Bringing containers inside, and out of the weather, reduces water damage.
• Loading a container on the ground instead of on a truck is much safer.
• No Self Loading Trailers are required - a cost saving.
• Packing goods while the container is on the ground instead of on a truck reduces freight damages.
• The Mobicon can place a container close to where the goods are.  This makes it faster to handle the goods.
• A Mobicon is also much cheaper to operate than a container forklift or a reach stacker.

Mining/bulk processing industry case study

Read about how Queensland Magnesia's two Mobicon Systems have increased flexibility, autonomy and safety.

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