Keywords: Bulk handling, Loading chutes, Cascade system.

Cleveland Potash Limited is located in the UK on the Cleveland coast overlooking the North Sea. The mine produces a million tonnes of potash (potassium chloride) each year and 600,000 tonnes of salt (sodium chloride).

The finished product is distributed from a bulk handling terminal on the River Tees. The terminal handles not only potash and salt but a variety of other products such as coal, coke, petroleum coke, coalite, grain and sodium sulfate. Dust emission from shiploading and silo loading was unacceptable.

The paper describes the design, development and application of a unique and patented loading chute. The improved loading chute is either telescopic or of fixed length and makes use of the principle of cascading. The chute eliminates dust emission without the use of fan assisted dust extraction, minimises degradation, and reduces segregation of bulk material.

A S Maxwell, Cleveland Cascades, Teesdock Terminal, Teesdock, Grangetown, Middlesbrough, UK.

15 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, 1 ref.