Observed is a tremendous amount of product discharged into basins that requires employee handling time to transport from discharge basins to on site dumps.

This product is of the same chemical composition and is not altered by the washing process.

Question is how to either consolidate dust after dehydrating or use as a product in conjunction with another medium that would act as a binder.

The question becomes how to remove mud from collection basins and if screws can be utilized with perhaps a rubberized tip.

Given consistancy of the mud it is possible that rubber tipping may not be necessary should back flow of mud not be excessive.

Once a consistant flow rate is establishable then an application process can be designed.

The question remains - are screws designed or modifiable to meet the requirement of moving hydronated dust from a pit at a rate consistant to act as a feeder to another process wherein the mud is applied to a binder material for manufacturing of a product such as a systhetic stone (straw and mud mixture) for sale at garden stores or used to make structures not subject to high stresses?

Izaharis - I responded via email - but look to thread regarding recycled material on this site for last posting. ■

Hello Mr. Mulani:

The question is directed toward recovery of mud for product development - this might prove especially efficient in developing countires where a mixture of lime mud and straw might yeild a practicle building product.

To answer your questions:

Mud is a residual of washing stone as required by state contracts.

Stone can not have any lime dust on it.

Ususal method to empty pit is to use front end loaders which drive into the mud - subjecting the lower ends drive assembly to abrasive dust and requiring immediate maintainance to clean and lubricate.

Pits are about 4' deep with upper 2 foot generally water and lower 2 feet consolidated mud - very thick viscosity

Emptying pits require at a minimum 6-8 hours to completely empty - mud is discarded as slurry in waste pile and not reused.

Question is how best to empty pit in a manner that would integrate the process of emptying the pit into a manufacturing process if a product could be developed.

I've considered patio blocks with a str4aw binder, a hardening agent and the mud.

I suppose the point being that every product, the residual of a mining operation should have some utilization if a recovery process can be developed. ■

Ishwar G Mulani.

Author of Book : Engineering Science and Application Design for Belt Conveyors.

I had your book in my hands yesterday - my compliments.

At the present lime mud is treated as a cost item in the plant where I worked and handled as quickly as possible at a minimum (appearent) cost.

If an application can be found for what at present is considered a waste product associated with production of washed stone, then I think a technology can be developed to process this product in the least costly manner.

The point I'm atempting to raise in this discussion is that a byproduct of production currently exists that is treated as a waste.

If individuals such as those very credible moderators and the companies they are associated with can conceive of an application for a product currently considered a byproduct, their companies will benefit through the sales of engineering and equipment.

The question becomes one of:

First: Conceiving of an application for a byproduct

Second: Developing an engineering solution that transfers the byproduct to the processing site in an efficient and reliable way.

My continuing this discussion is primarially to alert those with an interest that there is a product of limestone production currently not being utilized in the dolomite industry (I do not know if this is only site specific or an industry trend).

I think there is a capital opportunity for the engineer who considers a solution that will maximize product utilization through developing a process to handle a waste converted to product.

Thomas P. Gregory Jr. ■

The utizilation of a "screw conveyor" can be the best solution to your mud conveying. The econimics will depend on what the negative value of the "waste mud" is. The dolomite solids, I assume have a fine particle size range. I would suggest a simple test be preformed, take some random samples of the mud and by weight establish a % solids and a particle sized analysis of the dried (solar or oven, micro-wave) powder residue. Dolomite lime is I believe a very active soil sweetner and may have a market. The use of a hardner is valid although I'd suggest a super absobent that is approved and used in forrestry. Good Luck.

p.s. The egyptians built the pyramids from mud conveyed from

the banks of the nile. ■