ABSTRACT
In continuous surface mining, overburden is usually dumped by spreaders that receive the material from the dump conveyor via a tripper car. The design of the spreader depends on many factors and varies greatly between a simple stacking boom on the dump conveyor and a separate large scale unit with receiving and discharge boom, travelling, slewing, and hoisting arrangements. The length of the discharge boom is the most decisive feature as it determines to a large extent the weight and cost of the machine. Among the factors that influence the type and design of the spreader in a special case are: the total height and single bench height to be dumped, the stability of the dumped material and safe dump slopes, type of material, climatic conditions, required capacity, special conditions of the dump area like valleys or ridges. Various types, applications, and design features of overburden spreaders and tripper cars and their mode of operation are shown and discussed.
