Analysis of loading and transportation activity in artisanal mining in El Guayabo, Ecuador

Abstract

The main objective of this work was to analyze the freight and mining transport activity in seven works in the “El Guayabo” sector, Santa Rosa canton, El Oro province, in order to show what are the main failures that occur in this task as part of the mining work cycle analysis that includes tasks as: drilling, blasting, ventilation, loosening, cleaning of all work front, loading and transport of chopped material.In the loading and transport task analysis, total length from the material extraction work front outside of mine through ridge to the mineral collection center or to the mineral dump, through topog raphy, has been considered conditions of the transport routes, obstacles that appear in roads or gallery section, execution time of the loading and transport task, the personnel employed number, the equipment and vehicles type used, and depending on these the gallery dimensions, curves, inclination and cant of ways. The mining works analyzed in the “El Guayabo” sector, show four main technical complications. As consequence of these complications causes workers to increase their physical effort and prolong working hours, which causes an increase in work risks and an increase production costs in contrast to the economic recovery sought. As a result of the loading and transport task analysis, it is proposed to improve the terms design of four technical complications.