Mining industry FIBC Bulk bags application

Opening Words:Mining bags – wear-resistant performance and safe transportation of the double guarantee.

As a practitioner in the FIBC Bulk bags industry for 20 years, I am deeply aware of the special requirements of the mining industry on the FIBC Bulk bags. In the underground tunnel, open pit and other complex environments, the bag not only to withstand the sharp edges of the ore and high friction loss, but also to protect the sealing and stability of the transportation process. This requires the FIBC Bulk bags in the choice of materials, structural design and process standards to achieve a “double guarantee” – not only with military-grade abrasion resistance, but also to build a full range of safety protection system.

First, wear resistance: from material innovation to structural optimization
In the field study of a copper mine in Yunnan, we found that the average service life of the traditional woven bag is only 3 times due to the friction of the quartz particles on the surface of the ore when transporting the copper concentrate. We developed a three-layer composite structure: the outer layer is made of high-strength polypropylene (PP) woven fabric, the middle layer is embedded with nano-sized ceramic particles coating, and the inner layer is made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) film. This “soft and strong” design increases the abrasion resistance of the bag by 400% and successfully extends its service life to more than 15 times.

In the structural design of the bag, we introduced the concept of “honeycomb reinforcement”. By setting up a diamond-shaped reinforcement area at the bottom of the bag body and the connection of the sling, the concentrated stress is dispersed to the whole bag body. In a coal mine in Inner Mongolia, the test, loaded with 2.5 tons of gangue bag from 1.5 meters high free fall 20 times, the bag body is still intact, while the ordinary bag in the fifth fall has appeared in the local breakage.

Second, safe transportation: build the whole process protection system
In 2023, a rollover accident in an iron ore mine in Xinjiang gave the industry a wake-up call. We quickly developed a “three-dimensional dynamic balancing system” to monitor the distribution of force during lifting in real time by implanting stress sensors in the sling. Combined with the four-point balancing design of the special lifting hook, the swinging amplitude of the FIBC Bulk bags during transportation is reduced by 67%, effectively avoiding the risk of tearing due to the shift of the center of gravity.

For the dust pollution problem in mine transportation, we innovatively adopt “double-channel heat sealing technology”. Double heat sealing treatment is carried out at the mouth and seams of the bag, together with the silicone sealing ring, so that the FIBC Bulk bags reaches IP67 waterproof and dustproof grade. In the transportation test of a gold mine in Gansu, after 500 kilometers of bumpy transportation, the water content of the gold concentrate in the bag only increased by 0.3%, much lower than the industry standard of 1.5%.

Third, the quality control of the FIBC Bulk bags: from the laboratory to the mine site
We have established the industry’s first “mine simulation laboratory”, equipped with gravel impact testing machine, high temperature and high humidity aging box and other professional equipment. Each batch of products has to go through 12 severe tests, such as 200 hours of accelerated aging under ultraviolet light, -40℃ low-temperature embrittlement, and 300kPa water pressure test. In the long-term tracking of a molybdenum mine in Shaanxi, our FIBC Bulk bagss still maintain more than 92% of the initial value of each performance index after 18 months of continuous use.

Conclusion: In the mining industry, the FIBC Bulk bags is not only a packaging container, but also an important line of defense for safe production. Through continuous technological innovation and strict quality control, we are promoting the transformation of the FIBC Bulk bags from traditional packaging to intelligent protective equipment. In the future, with the application of 5G Internet of Things technology, the FIBC Bulk bags will be equipped with real-time status monitoring, failure warning and other intelligent functions, providing more reliable protection for mine transportation safety. Today we share here, the next issue I will share more knowledge of the FIBC Bulk bags.