Ep 140: Sandwich Conveyors Explained: high-angle haulage up to 90 degrees

In this episode of Fresh Thinking by Snowden Optiro, Tarrant Elkington (General Manager, Snowden Optiro) is joined by Joseph A. Dos Santos (Joe) (Dos Santos International, Marietta, Georgia) to explore high-angle conveying and the sandwich conveyor. They break down how sandwich conveyors "hug" the material between two belts to move bulk solids up steep inclines, where conventional conveying or trucking can become impractical. The discussion covers how this technology is applied in mining, what it can handle, and what to consider when comparing high-angle conveying against other haulage and lifting options. Key moments 00:01:05 – What is a sandwich conveyor? 00:02:27 – How sandwich conveyors handle extreme angles (including the "hugging" mechanism). 00:09:09 – Where high-angle conveying fits compared with truck haulage and other systems. 00:21:17 – Real-world scale example: vertical lift, capacity, and what that looks like in practice. 00:40:24 – "Mining on Mars" and why high-angle conveying comes up in off-world concepts. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe for more mining-focused technical discussions across the mine value chain. If you would like to contact Tarrant or Joe: [email protected] Listen on the go: Fresh Thinking by Snowden Optiro is available on all major podcast platforms. 👍 Like, comment, and subscribe for more technical mining insights from our global consulting team. Fresh Thinking by Snowden Optiro is rapidly becoming the best mining podcast globally - you can find our podcasts on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and most other podcast platforms. Snowden Optiro: Snowden Optiro is a resources consulting and advisory group that provides independent advice, consulting and training to mining and exploration companies, their advisors and investors. We help mine developers to advance their projects, mining companies to improve their operations and their professionals, and investors to de-risk their investments by the provision of quality advice, training and software in the field of Mineral Resources and Mineral/Ore Reserves. Explore more: https://snowdenoptiro.com/ Dos Santos International: Dos Santos International (DSI) is the world's foremost authority on Sandwich Belt high angle conveyors, founded and led by the inventor of the system, Joseph A. Dos Santos. DSI has been advancing bulk material handling solutions since 1997. With the invention of and advances in Sandwich Belt High Angle Conveyors, the development and utilization of their Expanded Conveyor Technology, and most recently, the patented Adder Snake Conveyors, we're engineering ideal solutions for some of the world's most challenging bulk material handling applications. Contact: [email protected]