A contract for the conveyor system for the extension to the Lumwana copper mine in Zambia has been awarded to Bateman. The scope of work covers design, supply, delivery, erection and commissioning of the conveyor system and includes all mechanical and structural equipment. The order comprises supply of a 118 m long sacrificial and 3.64 km long overland conveyor for an additional primary crusher and a 502 m long stockpile feed conveyor feeding the existing stockpile. The conveyors have a design capacity of 5,140 t/h.

The conveying system will convey copper ore over a distance of approximately 4 km from the run-of-mine (ROM) tip to a stockpile which feeds the processing plant. The ground profile that the overland conveyor will be required to traverse has necessitated special design features, including flywheels on the drive side and a brake on the tail side to maintain belt tensions, thus preventing the belt from collapsing when the conveyor is stopped. Design of the conveyors is taking place at Bateman Engineered Technologies in Bedfordview, South Africa, with manufacturing of the conveyor components also in South Africa. 

Bateman was originally responsible, as part of a joint venture, for the $408 million EPC contract to establish the original 20 Mt/y Lumwana copper processing facilities, which were handed over to the client at the end of 2008. The Chimiwungo pit is required to supplement ore feed to the process plant as the existing pit, Malundwe, is reaching advanced stages of its current life. Ore production from Chimiwungo is expected to commence during July 2012. The Lumwana mine was developed by Equinox Minerals but is now part of Barrick.