Bridging the supply gap

Supply of sand and gravel to the south east of the UK will soon be boosted following installation of a new conveyor bridge at 643 Cemex’s Bramhill Quarry in Hampshire. The new 21.6m long bridge is part of a £1.2million project to open up access to 1.2million tonnes of reserves at the quarry and will carry material over a main road to the processing plant.

“The quarry site covers over 250 hectares and is intersected by the A30,” explained Cemex sothern regional director Rob Doody. “As mineral extraction to the north of the A30 has been completed and re-forestation of the area taken place, we have had to move extraction to the other side of the highway. But we still require easy access to our processing plant in the north of the site which grades and washes the sand. The bridge with conveyor is the most cost effective, sustainable and efficient solution.”

The bridge, which weighs 12tonnes, incorporates a conveyor belt and a walkway required for maintenance. The conveyor will transport 200tonnes an hour of the sand and gravel 6.6m above the highway and forms the vital link of the excavation area of the quarry with the processing plant.

The bridge was lifted into position over the road during an overnight closure and was completed in just under four hours.