Strata

THE trio of Strata companies – Strata Products USA, Strata Safety Products and Strata Mine Services – has joined together to display and demonstrate several products at MINExpo.

Those seeking to see a mine refuge station will have the opportunity to do so through Strata Safety Products, which will have a full-size steel refuge chamber set up.

“In recent months Strata Safety has been focusing many resources on the design and development of airconditioning systems for the refuge units – specifically, systems that are designed to be intrinsically safe for use in coal mines,” said company president Rory Paton-Ash, who pointed out that the heat index of an enclosed space can quickly become a serious risk.

“Strata currently offers chemical cooling, which has tested success. We will have an airconditioning system on display in the chamber.”

Strata Products USA will also be available to introduce to the US mining community a new product to be available through its exclusive distributorship, the Minvent Solutions Ventstop. Described as an inflatable unit for temporary ventilation control, Ventstop can be rapidly inflated onsite to block both horizontal and vertical voids to aid in ventilation improvement or redirection as well as the control of dust, fumes, smoke, radiation and thermal heat.

The size of the product does not allow display, so the company said that videos will be played with demonstrations of the unit’s inflation and application.

Finally, Strata Mine Services will be launching two of its new offerings, Plug Seal ventilation seals and Overcasts. Plug Seals have been MSHA approved to withstand 120psi of dynamic load, Paton-Ash noted, while Overcasts can be used to prevent air mixture at the intersection of two passageways.

“These new products are gaining huge popularity and are heavily used in mines today, due to their rapid installation, relatively low cost and airtight seal,” he said.

Martin Engineering

Martin Engineering will showcase innovative solutions for conveying in mines and process operations at MINExpo this month.

The company will introduce an architecture concept for conveyor design, a solution that takes a fresh look at how belt conveyor systems are designed and constructed, in order to provide conveyors that are cleaner, safer and more productive.

“This is not a formal product introduction. We consider this to be a ‘concept car’ and MINExpo attendees will have the chance to ‘kick the tyres’ – to see what we are proposing and offer us feedback,” said chief technical officer R Todd Swinderman.

“MINExpo presents a unique opportunity to present our ideas for the next generation of conveyor design, and receive input from a large, global audience.”

Martin Engineering will also display other technologies to improve mine and plant operations, including belt cleaners, air cannons and transfer point systems.

The company will also present a series of educational seminars as part of the conference's Bulk Materials Handling session on the second day of the expo.

Martin Engineering’s Greg Bierie will present “Leading Edge Conveyor Technologies” – a review of recent projects employing innovative systems to solve challenging problems.