Industrial Vacuum Solutions for Australia’s Mining Industry

Efficient bulk material recovery is essential to keeping mining equipment operational, maintenance work moving and production assets available.

Dust, ash, mineral concentrates and other materials accumulate through mining and mineral processing. Around conveyors, transfer stations, crushers, screening plants, silos and hoppers, that build-up can complicate access and extend cleaning work. Fine material may also become airborne when disturbed, while manual removal can introduce additional handling, confined-space and working-at-height risks.

Industrial vacuum trucks offer a contained, environmentally-friendly method of recovering and transporting these materials. Instead of moving material through open handling, operators can collect it from a distance and transfer it through an enclosed vacuum system into the unit’s storage vessel.

Across mine sites and mineral processing facilities, accumulated product can restrict access and increase the work required before inspection, repair or servicing can begin. The materials differ between operations, but common examples include:

• Dust and ash
• Coal dust and coal fines
• Mineral concentrates
• Catalyst
• Cement, lime and fly ash
• Other bulk powders

Location often makes the task more difficult. Material beneath conveyors, within hoppers or around fixed processing infrastructure may be awkward to reach with conventional mobile equipment. Dense accumulations can require repeated handling and fine particles can disperse when disturbed.

During routine maintenance, these conditions can slow progress. During a planned shutdown, they may also affect the sequence of other work by delaying access to equipment. Therefore recovering the material efficiently helps maintenance teams clear work areas, reach critical assets and begin the next task sooner.

Conventional mobile equipment can be effective where material is readily accessible and there is sufficient room to operate. While manual cleaning may remain suitable for small, controlled jobs. However challenges arise when the work involves fine material, restricted access, extended recovery distances or repeated cleaning within narrow maintenance windows.

Equipment decisions begin with the material and the operating task. Before assessing a particular truck or equipment, mining operators should consider several factors.

The unit must be capable of safely recovering the intended material over the required distance. Fine dust, bulk powders and heavier concentrates behave differently, so performance should be assessed against the actual task.

Fine dry material places significant demands on a vacuum system. Efficient filtration supports continued recovery while helping contain the collected product within the process.

An enclosed recovery path can help minimise airborne dust and reduce the amount of direct contact workers have with accumulated material.

A larger storage vessel can reduce unloading frequency during high-volume recovery work. Fewer interruptions may allow operators to complete more cleaning within a scheduled maintenance period.

Mining equipment may be exposed to abrasive materials, extended operating cycles, remote conditions and temperature extremes. Equipment quality matters because the truck must remain dependable under demanding operating conditions.

Long-term equipment performance depends on access to genuine parts, technical knowledge and servicing.

The CAP Bora 3200 XL, the CAP VAC Industrial 3200 10×4 and other Cappellotto Industrial Vacuum trucks are designed for demanding industrial recovery tasks involving both lightweight and heavier materials. Their high-performance vacuum systems enable material to be recovered over distance and from locations that may be difficult to reach using conventional mobile equipment. Efficient filtration supports fine-material recovery, while enclosed collection helps limit the release of airborne product during the process.

Large storage capacity can also reduce interruptions caused by frequent unloading. For maintenance teams, the benefit is that more material may be recovered before the unit needs to stop, helping work progress more efficiently.

Industrial vacuum systems can support a broad range of mining and mineral processing tasks. Their value often lies in versatility, particularly where one unit can be used across routine cleaning, shutdown work and material recovery.

• Mineral concentrate recovery
• Coal dust and coal fines recovery
• Ash recovery
• Catalyst recovery
• Cement, lime and fly ash recovery
• Bulk powder recovery

These tasks may occur around processing areas, storage facilities and transfer infrastructure. The correct equipment configuration should be confirmed against the density, abrasiveness and handling characteristics of the material.

• Conveyors
• Transfer stations
• Crushers
• Screening plants
• Silos
• Hoppers
• Processing facilities
• Storage areas

These locations are often difficult to access with larger equipment or may require a method that can recover material from a distance.

• Processing plant shutdown cleaning
• General plant cleaning
• Difficult-access material recovery
• Bulk material removal before maintenance

During planned shutdowns, cleaning must be coordinated with inspection, repair and servicing activity. It is important to clear the work area efficiently enough for subsequent maintenance activity to proceed.

• Heavy sludge recovery
• Dewatering
• Bulk liquid spill recovery

Because equipment capability varies by model and configuration, suitability for wet or mixed materials should be confirmed before a unit is selected.

Manual bulk material removal can expose workers to airborne dust, repetitive handling, confined spaces, difficult access and working at height. However, industrial vacuum equipment changes the recovery method.

Material can be collected from a safer distance, transported through an enclosed system and retained within the unit rather than repeatedly moved in the open. Although this does not eliminate risk, safe work still depends on:

• Site-specific risk assessments
• Appropriate operating procedures
• Competent personnel
• Suitable personal protective equipment
• Equipment selected for the material and task
• Compliance with relevant site and regulatory requirements

We offer accredited competency training (developed by ‘Trainright’, our training partner) including MSMSS00020 ‘Operate a vacuum loading system’. Learn more about KOR Academy by contacting us to set up training for your operators.

Equipment ownership does not end when the truck arrives on site. A well-engineered vacuum unit can still become an operational constraint if technical support, replacement parts or servicing are difficult to access. For remote mining operations, these considerations are especially important.

KOR supports Cappellotto equipment with:

• Genuine spare parts
• Technical expertise
• Nationwide servicing capability
• Established workshops and mobile service vans
• Ongoing aftersales support
• Relevant nationally accredited competency training through the approved third-party arrangement

We also offer dedicated spare parts and servicing, allowing operators to assess the support model alongside the equipment itself. The practical value of this support is equipment availability over time. Reliable servicing, correct parts and competent operation all contribute to maintaining the unit throughout its working life.

What materials can an industrial vacuum truck recover? Supported applications include dust, ash, coal, catalyst, mineral concentrates, cement, lime, powders, heavy sludge and liquids. Actual suitability depends on the unit, its configuration and the operating conditions.

Can the equipment be used for shutdown cleaning? Yes. Processing plant shutdown cleaning is among the supported applications. Industrial vacuum recovery can help clear material so maintenance teams can access equipment and work areas sooner.

Does KOR provide servicing and spare parts? Yes, we provide genuine spare parts, technical expertise, servicing and ongoing support for Cappellotto equipment across Australia and New Zealand.

Dry bulk material recovery is strategally important when it affects access, operator exposure and the time required to return equipment to service. The CAP Bora 3200 XL, the CAP VAC Industrial 3200 10×4 and other Cappellotto Industrial Vacuum trucks combine high-performance recovery with enclosed material handling, efficient filtration, large storage capacity and heavy-duty construction.

Contact us about your mining conditions and material-recovery requirements to identify an appropriate Cappellotto industrial vacuum truck for your operation.