Conveyor Belt & Lifecycle Services at the 120 Mtpa Simandou Iron Ore Project

From High-Strength Belt Supply and Splicing to 24/7 Maintenance, Intelligent Monitoring and Local Service in Guinea

Conveyor Belt & Lifecycle Services at the 120 Mtpa Simandou Iron Ore Project
Case Chanllenges

Simandou is one of the world’s largest new iron ore developments, with a planned annual capacity of 120 million tonnes. For conveyor systems operating at this scale, reliability depends on far more than the belt itself. Installation quality, splice integrity, material behavior, condition monitoring, maintenance readiness and on-site response all affect whether ore keeps moving.

Across different areas of the Simandou development, BOTON’s role has expanded from high-strength conveyor belt supply and installation into long-term conveyor operation, maintenance, condition monitoring and engineering improvement.

The project demonstrates how BOTON combines high-strength steel cord conveyor belts, field service and intelligent technologies within a single lifecycle support model for large-scale mining operations.

Core Achievements

From Belt Supply to Lifecycle Services

BOTON’s role at Simandou has expanded from conveyor belt supply, installation and splicing to long-term conveyor lifecycle services supporting continuous mine operations.

High-Strength Belt Installation up to ST7000

BOTON has supplied and installed heavy-duty steel cord conveyor belts for large-scale iron ore conveying, with belt strengths reaching ST7000 and major applications using 2,000 mm-wide belts.

24/7 On-Site Conveyor Support

An approximately 70-person service team provides round-the-clock conveyor operation and maintenance support, including routine inspection, planned maintenance and emergency response.

Local Service Capability for Long-Term Support

BOTON has established permanent service resources in Guinea covering conveyor belts, splicing and repair materials, accessories, installation, maintenance, system operation and intelligent equipment support.

This local capability reduces dependence on long-distance mobilization and creates a stronger base for continuous technical support, workforce development and emergency response.

Intelligent Monitoring for Earlier Risk Detection

X-ray non-destructive inspection and longitudinal rip monitoring improve visibility into conveyor belt condition and help maintenance teams identify developing risks earlier.

Key Facts

  • Project Capacity: 120 Mtpa iron ore
  • Conveyor O&M Scope: Approx. 9 km
  • Belt Supply: 30+ km across project areas
  • Belt Strength: ST1000–ST7000
  • Typical Belt Width: Up to 2,000 mm
  • On-Site Team: 24/7 multi-shift coverage with a dedicated maintenance crew
  • Service Coverage: 24/7 operation & maintenance
  • Smart Monitoring: X-ray inspection + longitudinal rip detection
  • Longest Referenced Section: Approx. 3 km / 210 m elevation change
  • Operating Environment: Tropical wet season, long-distance heavy-duty conveying
Key Facts

Project Challenges

Reliability at Large Scale

At a 120 Mtpa iron ore project, conveyor failures can quickly affect upstream and downstream production. Belt integrity, splice reliability, tracking and transfer-point stability are therefore critical to continuous operation.

Long and Demanding Conveyor Routes

The service area includes long conveyor sections across challenging terrain. One conveyor extends approximately 3 km with around 210 m of vertical elevation change, increasing inspection and maintenance demands.

Wet-Season Material Behavior

During Guinea’s rainy season, higher moisture content makes iron ore fines more adhesive, increasing the risk of carryback, buildup, spillage, belt mistracking and slip.

BOTON Solution

BOTON Solution

High-Strength Belt Supply, Installation and Splicing

BOTON provides high-strength steel cord conveyor belts together with on-site installation and splicing services for heavy-duty iron ore conveyor systems.

The project covers multiple belt grades, including ST2000, ST3150, ST5400, ST6300 and ST7000, allowing belt selection and field installation to be managed as part of one integrated solution.

24/7 Conveyor Operation and Maintenance

BOTON’s on-site team provides continuous conveyor inspection, preventive maintenance, component replacement, belt cleaning and planned shutdown support.

Round-the-clock coverage helps reduce response time and allows developing equipment issues to be addressed before they affect production.

Wet-Season Engineering Improvements

Rainy-season conditions require more than additional cleaning.

BOTON has carried out targeted improvements to transfer points, hydraulic tracking idlers, belt cleaners, impact beds, skirt systems and support structures to reduce mistracking, spillage and material buildup caused by changing ore conditions.

Intelligent Conveyor Belt Monitoring

BOTON combines field inspection with intelligent condition monitoring.

X-ray non-destructive belt inspection helps identify internal steel cord abnormalities, while longitudinal rip monitoring provides early warning of sudden belt damage.

Together, these technologies support more proactive conveyor maintenance and earlier risk detection.

Local Conveyor Service Capability

BOTON has established local service resources in Guinea covering conveyor belts, splicing, repairs, maintenance, intelligent equipment and system operation support.

This local capability reduces reliance on long-distance mobilization and supports faster technical response for large-scale mining operations.

From A-Z Service to SERV

BOTON’s Simandou service model brings belt supply, installation, maintenance, condition monitoring and engineering improvement into one lifecycle approach.

This is reflected in BOTON’s SERV framework — Safety, Efficiency, Reliability and Value Creation.

At project level, that means using inspection and monitoring to identify risks earlier, reducing repetitive maintenance through engineering improvement, maintaining 24/7 field response capability, and feeding operating experience back into future maintenance and system optimization.

Rather than treating each task as a separate service, SERV connects field operations, technical support and asset performance within one continuous improvement cycle.

Project Gallery

Explore the conveyor belt supply, smart monitoring and lifecycle service behind BOTON’s support for the Simandou iron ore project.

Related Solutions

Explore the conveyor belt, lifecycle service and intelligent monitoring solutions behind BOTON’s support for large-scale mining operations.

Steel Cord Conveyor Belt Solutions

Steel Cord Conveyor Belt Solutions

High-strength steel cord conveyor belts designed for long-distance, high-capacity and heavy-duty mining applications.

Conveyor Lifecycle Services

Conveyor Lifecycle Services

From installation and splicing to inspection, maintenance and long-term operational support across the conveyor lifecycle.

Intelligent Conveyor Monitoring

Intelligent Conveyor Monitoring

Condition monitoring technologies for early risk detection, belt health assessment and more proactive conveyor maintenance.

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