Rubber conveyor belts: types and applications
Rubber conveyor belts are one of the most in-demand types of rubber technical products, providing continuous transportation of bulk, lump and piece goods on belt conveyors. These products are used in mining, coal, metallurgical, construction, food and other industries. The quality and correct selection of conveyor belts directly determine the productivity, safety and durability of transport systems.
Classification of Conveyor Belts
According to GOST 20-2018, conveyor belts are classified by several key criteria: by type of tension carcass, by operating conditions, by type and by purpose. Depending on operating conditions and purpose, belts are manufactured in four types: 1, 2, 3, 4 and the following varieties: general purpose, frost-resistant, heat-resistant, flame-retardant (for coal and shale mines), flame-retardant frost-resistant and food-grade.
Type 1 — belts for very heavy and heavy operating conditions. Subtype 1.1 is intended for very heavy conditions (large lump materials, high abrasiveness). Subtype 1.2 — for heavy operating conditions. Type 1 belts have rubber covers on the working and non-working surfaces and rubber edges.
Type 2 — general purpose, frost-resistant and heat-resistant belts. Manufactured with rubber covers on the working and non-working surfaces. Depending on the variety and width, they may have rubber or cut edges.
Type 3 — belts for light operating conditions with a rubber cover on the working surface and cut edges.
Type 4 — food-grade belts intended for contact with food products, with rubber covers on the working and non-working surfaces and cut edges.
Types of Tension Carcass
The basis of a conveyor belt is the tension carcass, which bears the tensile loads. By carcass type, belts are divided into two main types:
Fabric conveyor belts — the most common type. The carcass consists of several layers (plies) of technical fabric connected by rubber interlayers. Fabrics used for the carcass can be made from various fibres: polyamide (nylon, anide), polyester, combined (polyester/cotton), as well as aramid (aromatic polyimide). The most widespread are EP fabrics (polyester/polyamide), where polyester yarns are arranged in the longitudinal direction (warp) and polyamide yarns in the transverse direction (weft). Fabrics with warp strength of 100, 200, 300 and 400 N/mm allow belts with various breaking loads to be created.
Steel cord belts — belts with a carcass of steel cords vulcanised into rubber. Used for transporting large lump materials over long distances and under high loads. According to GOST R 56904-2016, steel cord belts for the mining industry are produced with strength from 1000 to 5000 N/mm of load-bearing belt width.
Marking of Conveyor Belts
The belt marking contains full information about its characteristics. For example, the entry "Belt 1.2Sh-1000-5-TK-200-2-6-3.5-G-1 GOST 20—2018" is deciphered as follows: type 1 belt, subtype 1.2, flame-retardant (Sh), 1000 mm wide, with five plies of TK-200 fabric, with a working cover 6 mm thick and non-working 3.5 mm of class G-1 rubber.
Properties of Conveyor Belts
Strength and wear resistance. Rubber covers of conveyor belts are made from rubbers of various classes, providing resistance to abrasive wear, cuts and punctures. For heavy operating conditions, rubbers of classes A, B, G-1 and G-2 are used.
Operating temperature range. Depending on the belt type and rubber class, conveyor belts can operate at temperatures from –45 to +60 °C (for general purpose belts), while heat-resistant belts operate at higher temperatures.
Flame resistance. Flame-retardant belts (types 1.2Sh, 2Sh) are intended for use in coal and shale mines. They must possess self-extinguishing properties and not propagate flame.
Food safety. Type 4 belts and food-grade belts of other types are made from class P rubbers and are approved for contact with food products.
Applications
Mining industry. Conveyor belts are the main mode of transport in the extraction of ores, coal, crushed stone and other materials. Steel cord belts are used for transporting large lump materials over long distances.
Metallurgy. Heat-resistant belts are used for transporting hot materials, sinter, coke.
Construction. Belts are used for transporting cement, sand, crushed stone, concrete mixes.
Food industry. Food-grade belts are used on conveyors for moving food products, semi-finished products and packaging.
Logistics and warehouses. Belts are used in sorting systems, loading and unloading complexes, and airports for baggage handling.
Global Market
The global conveyor belt market demonstrates steady growth. In 2025, the market was valued at USD 5.68–5.84 billion, with a projected growth to USD 5.95–6.08 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 4.16–4.7%. By 2031–2033, the market may reach USD 7.46–9.35 billion.
Key growth drivers are industrial automation, expansion of logistics centres and warehouses, growth in mining activity, increasing air passenger traffic (for baggage conveyors), and tightening requirements for energy efficiency and safety.
Main trends include the introduction of intelligent belt condition monitoring systems, development of energy-efficient rubber compounds with low rolling resistance, use of recycled materials, and integration of conveyors with IoT-based predictive maintenance systems. Heavyweight conveyor belts accounted for 45.12% of the market in 2025, while lightweight modular belts show the highest growth (CAGR 7.78%) driven by e-commerce and food industry development.
Conclusion
Rubber conveyor belts are an indispensable element of modern industry, providing efficient and continuous cargo transportation. The variety of belt types and constructions — fabric and steel cord, general purpose, frost-resistant, heat-resistant and flame-retardant — allows the optimal solution to be selected for any operating conditions. Technological development aimed at improving wear resistance, energy efficiency and the introduction of intelligent monitoring systems determines the sustainable growth of the conveyor belt market in the long term.