(57) The present invention relates to a method and assembly for preventing sticking of fine-graded, moist material such as clay or sludge to screens, shovels and other units of earth handling equipment. The handling of moist and fine-graded materials is often greatly hampered by sticking of such materials to the handling equipment. Pure clay in particular sticks extremely tenaciously on all surfaces and, having a soft and easily deformable consistency, tends to adhere to a surface rather than to allow itself to be detached from the surface under an external force. This leads to plugging of screening and blending equipment and accumulation of clay on shovels and other equipment used for handling the clay. Most sludges also act in a similar manner. The invention is based on heating at least a portion of the equipment elements to be in contact with the material being treated to a temperature higher than the boiling point of water.