Unloading thousands of tons of sand from a ship: a challenging process

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Fluctus Channel. One of the most complex procedures in the sand mining industry is unloading sand from a barge. However, trained professionals in China use primitive yet effective equipment to get the job done. It requires utmost precision and efficient material handling to unload the sand successfully. The role of standing men is critical in this process, which begins with a worker boosting the sand onto the conveyor opening using hand tools such as pole pikes and scraper bars. The workers standing on the edge of the barge ease the task of transferring sand onto the conveyor. They use heavy-duty brooms to direct sand onto conveyor openings and long-handled brakes with wide, sturdy tines to move loose materials and level them to an even surface. A similar process is followed while unloading other materials from barges. You see, barges aren't just carrying sand. These vessels can transport other bulk materials like coal, gravel, agricultural products, and chemicals. However, the time required to unload these materials may vary depending upon the type of material and the conveyor used for unloading. For instance, it takes 4-12 hours to unload 1,500-3,000 tons of sand from an inland barge. It may take longer to unload dense and compact materials or those prone to clogging, such as damp sand. On the other hand, a 2-3 hour unloading session is sufficient to unload 1,500 tons of grain using a high-speed conveyor. The process of unloading sand from the barge can sometimes prove hazardous for workers. For instance, a common hazard is accidentally causing unwanted avalanches of sand due to uncontrolled motion at the base level. Therefore, a stopping tray is latched onto the conveyor to control the unwanted motion of sand and revoke the possibility of this hazard. Furthermore, the workers use safety ropes as harnesses to navigate around the pit to avoid falling off. For additional safety, they are required to wear chemical-resistant rubber boots to abstain from getting injured. Not only this, but safety protocols, equipment maintenance, and worker health checks are frequently performed in this highly physically straining job. While unloading such a huge amount of sand, the job sometimes requires the workers to think outside the box. For instance, if sand is somehow moved to the edges of the pit, the workers put a stopping tray onto the conveyor and launch high-pressure water to remove the sand. This not only ensures the safety of the workers inside the pit, but also eases the process. Once the edges are cleared of any unwanted sand, the workers inside the pit removes the stopping tray to continue the unloading process. Barges come in different sizes, but did you know that a typical inland river barge can carry up to 3,000 tons of sand? That's a lot of weight, and it can cost around $150,000, depending upon the quality and type of sand. Unloading sand from an inland barge is somewhat easier, whereas large barges require the workers to constantly reposition themselves, and sometimes even move the entire barge to make things easier. It's a team effort involving skilled professionals like dock operators, crane operators, logistics coordinators, and safety operators. One major advantage of sand transportation via barges is that the loading and unloading processes proceed smoothly once the sand is placed on the deck. But what if I tell you there's another technique for sand transportation, which involves dump trucks rather than barges, and is trickier? The truck used in this procedure is usually old and rusty, so the operators thoroughly check it before taking it out for a ride to collect sand. The truck is then refueled, and the radiator is filled with water to reach the optimal water level. All of this is done in an unconventional way using bottles and cans. Finally, the driver starts the truck and removes the front hood to check that all mechanical and electrical systems, including the engine, are functioning properly. By the looks of it, the truck seems to have been used for sand transportation for over a decade. It only features a steering wheel, gearbox, accelerator, and brake pedals, all of which are used to control the vehicle. Once all the systems are checked and verified, the truck starts its journey to collect the sand, traversing through muddy water, rocks, and several uneven paths without hesitation. While en route, if the truck gets stuck in deep mud, it is powerful enough to cruise its way out and escape the mud to continue its journey. After reaching the desired location, the workers find the optimal land to collect sand and park the truck. The workers then begin loading sand onto the truck using shovels. Once it is filled with sand, the truck proceeds towards the next location to unload it. The dump truck is equipped with an open box bed, which is hinged at the rear and equipped with hydraulic ramps to lift the front, allowing the material in the bed to be dumped on the ground behind the truck at the delivery site. Dump trucks are also used in Indonesia, which houses one of the major sand mining industries of the world. However, the sand in Indonesia is collected from the mountains, which can be very tricky at times. This is Mount Merapi, or the Mountain of Fire, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, typically erupting once every 10 to 15 years since 1548. These eruptions have left vast deposits of volcanic ash, loose rocks, and enormous sand dunes that local miners make use of. Initially, the miners are divided into four to six teams and take charge of different aspects of the sand mining process. The process initiates with a miner climbing a steep slope while dangling on a tiny rope to loosen the sand with an iron bar. In this case, Denny, a local sand miner, is the one to perform this task. The tough nylon cord is securely fastened to a tree at the top of a massive sand dune and regularly checked by another worker. The sand is then loaded in wheelbarrows and dumped on a conveyor-like slide path made of old aluminum sheets, which effortlessly channels the sand down the steep slope into a truck. This ingenious technique saves the sand miners a great deal of manual loading time and energy. The loaded trucks then navigate the rough, narrow road in the mountains to reach the sand depot, where some of the trucks are offloaded while others get their sand loads increased for delivery around the city. Apart from construction, this sand acts as the main ingredient for the manufacturing of asphalt, cement, and glass. Sand mining on mountains is dangerous for miners, especially during the rainy season. Sand mining is a dangerous yet essential industry that involves immense physical labor and risk. The workers' dedication, innovative techniques, and strict safety measures highlight the vital role they play in providing this invaluable resource for construction and industry. That's the end of this video. I hope you enjoyed it. Make sure to subscribe to this channel so you don't miss any of our new content. See you next time!