What is the difference between EP and steel-cord belting?

EP is a fabric-carcass belt — polyester and nylon plies — rated to around 2000 kN/m, with more stretch, smaller pulley sizes and the option of mechanical fasteners. Steel cord uses a single layer of high-tensile steel cords, is rated far higher, stretches very little and lasts longer, but needs larger pulleys and vulcanised splices only. EP suits most plant and mobile conveyors; steel cord is for long overland and high-lift systems.

What does a marking like "EP 800/4 4+2" mean?

EP 800/4 means an EP fabric belt with an 800 kN/m full-belt tensile rating across 4 plies. The 4+2 is the cover thickness in millimetres — a 4 mm top cover and a 2 mm bottom cover. A grade letter or name (for example a general-purpose or heat-resistant grade) usually follows, setting the rubber compound.

Do you supply fire-resistant (FR / FRAS) belting for underground?

Yes. Fire-resistant and fire-resistant anti-static belting is available, including solid-woven PVC and PVG constructions. Fire performance is a property of the specific belt and is proven by a current test certificate for that product — state the standard and clause from your mine specification (often SANS 1173 in South Africa) and we supply the matching belt and certificate.

Can you match a belt from a photo of the print on the cover?

Usually. The print gives the class, plies and cover thickness. We still need the belt width, the conveyor geometry or the total length, and the operating conditions to confirm the compound and construction — then we select Magnum or locally sourced belting to suit and supply the matching fasteners and splice materials.

How do I choose the cover grade?

Identify the single dominant failure mode on the belt you are replacing. Chipped and gouged covers need a cut-and-gouge or super-abrasion grade; covers worn smooth and thin need an abrasion grade with a thicker top cover; hot material needs a heat-resistant compound; underground needs FR or FRAS. Send a description of how the removed belt looked and our engineer will specify the grade.

Product group

Conveyor belting

Magnum imported and locally sourced belt, selected to your application

Kia-Kaha Mining supplies conveyor belting for mining, quarrying, bulk handling and industrial plants. We distribute Magnum conveyor belting in South Africa and also supply locally sourced belt. We do not manufacture belt — we help you specify the right construction and cover grade, source it, and get it to site with the matching fasteners, splice materials and pulley lagging. This page is the reference; send your application and our engineer will confirm the belt.

Send belt specification or sample How to select a belt

Overview

What conveyor belting is

A conveyor belt is a continuous loop of reinforced rubber (or PVC) that carries bulk material along a supported path. Its performance comes from two things chosen independently: the carcass, which carries the tension and sets impact and splice behaviour, and the covers, whose rubber compound (the grade) sets how long the belt survives the material it carries and the environment it runs in.

Construction

How a belt is built

Belt layers, top to bottom

Layer	Function
Top cover	Abrasion-, impact-, heat- or fire-resistant rubber, selected by grade. Carries the wear; contributes little strength.
Bonding / skim layers	Thin rubber layers that bond the covers to the carcass and the plies to each other. Splice quality depends on them.
Carcass	The load-bearing structure. Fabric plies (EP, NN/PN, EE) or a single layer of steel cords. Carries the belt tension and sets impact and fastener performance.
Bottom (pulley) cover	Thinner cover that protects the carcass against the pulleys and idlers. Grade usually matches or steps down from the top cover.

Carcass types

Carcass	Characteristics	Typical use
EP (polyester / polyamide)	Polyester warp for low stretch and high strength, nylon weft for impact and tear resistance. The general mining default.	Most surface conveyors, aggregates, coal and mineral handling
NN / PN (polyamide / polyamide)	Nylon warp and weft — higher elongation, excellent impact, tear and fastener performance. Needs more take-up travel.	Heavy impact, short centres, awkward geometry, mechanically fastened belts
EE (polyester / polyester)	Very low stretch in both directions, dimensionally stable.	Long overland conveyors, fixed take-up, precise tracking
Solid-woven PVC / PVG	Single-ply woven carcass impregnated with PVC (PVG adds a rubber cover). Rip- and fastener-resistant, inherent fire performance.	Underground coal and hard rock — matched to the mine fire standard
Steel cord (ST)	A single layer of high-tensile steel cords in a rubber matrix. Minimal elongation, very high strength, long service life. Vulcanised splices only.	Long overland, high-lift and high-tension conveyors

See fabric vs steel-cord belting — which, and when.

Specifications

Typical parameters

Ranges below are typical for the belting we supply. Any figure that must be exact for your conveyor is confirmed against the supplier data sheet on quotation — we do not publish a spec we cannot stand behind.

Parameter	Typical value / range
Belt width	300 – 2400 mm in standard steps (400, 500, 600, 650, 750, 800, 900, 1050, 1200, 1350, 1500, 1600, 1800, 2000, 2100, 2400)
Full-belt tensile rating	Fabric: EP 250 – EP 2000+ kN/m · Steel cord: ST 500 – ST 10000+ kN/m — confirmed on quotation for the exact product
Plies (fabric)	2 – 5 typical
Top / bottom cover thickness	Typical 2 – 12 mm / 1.5 – 6 mm — confirmed on quotation
Maximum operating temperature	Ambient for GP grades; 125 – 200 °C+ with heat-resistant grades — continuous and peak values confirmed on quotation
Minimum pulley diameters	Set by the rating, cover thickness and splice type — confirmed on quotation
Splice	Mechanical fastener or hot-vulcanised joint (steel cord: vulcanised only)
Standards referenced	SANS 1366 · ISO 14890 / ISO 15236 · DIN 22102 / DIN 22131 · AS 1332 / AS 1333 · SANS 1173 (fire) — compliance stated only against the exact offered product and its current certificate

Cover grades

Grade families and what they are for

Descriptive grade families

Code	Name	For	Typical applications
GP	General purpose / abrasion resistant	Everyday abrasion, ambient temperature, moderate impact	Aggregates, coal handling, general plant conveying
SAR	Super abrasion resistant	Sharp, coarse, high-impact material	Primary-crushed rock, quarry run-of-mine, load zones
HR	Heat resistant	Elevated material temperature	Hot screened product, foundry sand, sinter
UHR / SHR	Ultra / super heat resistant	High sustained and peak temperatures	Cement clinker, direct-from-kiln material
OR	Oil resistant	Oily or greasy material, hydrocarbon exposure	Treated ore, recycling, some minerals processing
FR	Fire resistant	Fire-risk surface conveyors	Portals, enclosed galleries, transfer towers
FRAS	Fire resistant anti-static	Underground use with static control	Underground coal and hard rock — matched to SANS 1173 or the mine spec

Exact grade designations map to a standard — SANS 1366, DIN 22102 (W / X / Y) or ISO 10247 — and the minimum tensile, elongation and abrasion values that go with them. The exact designation and certificate for the belt offered are confirmed on quotation. Full explanation: conveyor belt cover grades explained.

Profiles and special belts

Type	What it is for
Chevron / cleated	Moulded V- or U-cleats that hold material on steeper inclines, roughly 18° – 40°. Cleat heights from about 15 mm to 32 mm.
Sidewall + cleat	Corrugated sidewalls with transverse cleats for steep to near-vertical conveying, 40° – 90°, in a small footprint.
Pipe conveyor belt	Formed into a closed tube along the carry run — spillage- and dust-free, tighter horizontal and vertical curves.
Rough-top	High-friction moulded top surface for package handling and inclined transfer.
Bucket-elevator belt	Reinforced belt drilled or prepared for bolted elevator buckets, for vertical lift of bulk material.

Selection

How we select the belt with you

Send us as much of the following as you have. Partial information is fine — our engineer will come back with the questions needed to finalise the spec, or attend site for an engineering assessment where the belt keeps failing and the cause needs diagnosing first.

01Belt width, and the total length or the full conveyor geometry (head/tail centres, pulley diameters, take-up travel)
02Whether you need the belt endless (factory-spliced) or open (spliced on site)
03Material: type, bulk density, maximum lump size, temperature at the loading point, moisture, and any oil or chemical exposure
04Conveyor: incline angle, belt speed, throughput (tph), drive arrangement, and the number and diameter of pulleys
05Environment: above ground or underground, and the exact fire-performance standard and clause your mine specification calls up
06If replacing: the existing belt spec or side markings, a photo of the belt edge and carcass, and a sample if possible
07Commercial: quantity, whether it is a breakdown or a planned change-out, the required date and the delivery location

Applications

Where we supply belting

Mining — coal, iron ore, gold, platinum and PGMs, manganese, chrome, copper, diamonds
Quarrying and aggregates — crushing, screening and stockpile conveying
Cement and lime — raw feed, clinker and finished-product handling
Power generation — coal and ash handling
Ports and terminals — ship loading, stockyard and reclaim conveyors
Steel and ferroalloys — high-wear, high-temperature material handling
Recycling, waste and industrial plants

Choosing

Fabric vs steel-cord — the trade-off

Factor	Fabric (EP / NN)	Steel cord
Strength ceiling	To ~2000 kN/m	To 10000+ kN/m
Elongation	Higher — more take-up travel	Very low — suits long overland with fixed take-up
Impact / gouge	Good, especially NN/PN	Good, but a breached cover risks cord corrosion
Splicing	Mechanical fastener or vulcanised	Vulcanised only
Pulley sizes	Smaller	Larger
Relative cost	Lower	Higher
Best for	Most plant, mobile and shorter-centre conveyors, and breakdowns	Long overland, high-lift, high-tension conveyors

Buyer questions

Common questions

The belt width; the total length or the full conveyor geometry (head and tail centres, pulley diameters, take-up travel); whether it must be endless or open; the belt class or tensile rating, plies or cords, and the top and bottom cover grade and thickness; the material, lump size and temperature; and whether it is above-ground or underground use with the exact fire standard your mine specification requires.

Belt tools

Belt cutting and splicing tools — Magnum

Alongside the belt, Kia-Kaha Mining supplies the Magnum belt-cutting, rubber- lining and splicing tool range — from the complete all-in-one splicing tool kit to the powered belt cutter that trims steel-cord and fabric belt square on site, driven off a cordless drill.

Magnum all-in-one rubber lining and belt splicing tool kit laid out with its case, angle grinder, rollers, knives and gloves

Magnum powered belt cutter on a wheeled trolley with a cordless-drill drive, on a plant yard

Close-up of the Magnum belt cutter head with its guide plate and cordless drill drive

The Magnum powered belt cutter running a square cut along a belt.

Request a quote

Send your belt application

Not sure which construction or cover grade you need? Send the conveyor and material details — our engineer will specify the correct belt and quote it with the matching fasteners and splice materials.