Hydraulic mining apparatus and method

A method of treating and conveying hydraulically mined aggregate, said method comprising:

• conveying said aggregate over an elongate perforate continuous loop belt conveyor having upstream and downstream sections and a reach extending over the length of said sections, the belt of said conveyor being sufficiently open to permit the substantially unrestricted passage of mined aggregate therethrough and having an upstream support extending beneath said reach over the length of said upstream section and a downstream support extending beneath said reach over the length of said downstream section, said upstream support having openings therein sized to permit fluid and aggregate of a pumpable size to pass therethrough while preventing the passage therethrough of aggregate greater than pumpable size, said downstream support being substantially imperforate whereby aggregate carried by said downstream section is supported on said downstream support and discharges over the distal end of said section;
• subjecting aggregate of greater than a predetermined size to breakage at a point disposed intermediate said upstream and downstream sections to reduce the size of said aggregate;
• collecting fluid and aggregate which passes through the upstream support and conveying the same away by pumping;
• conveying over the downstream section of the conveyor the aggregate remaining on the conveyor after breakage intermediate said upstream and downstream sections;
• and, discharging aggregate conveyed on said downstream section over the distal end thereof onto a conveyor disposed in receiving relationship to said downstream section.