Company Announcement - Reflecting its commitment to expanding its local crusher capability, Weir Minerals Africa recently commissioned the world’s first Enduron® SP cone crusher at a local gold waste rock aggregate plant. Early results indicate that this new technology has significant potential for smaller miners and aggregate producers alike, delivering all the performance characteristics these markets have come to expect of a crusher, but with improved reliability. The Enduron® SP cone crusher is characterised by a unique and ingenious design, easily combining light weight, compact dimensions and a robust frame to offer one of the most advanced cone crushers in the industry. Its innovative design achieves improved energy efficiencies, lower operating costs, reduced frequency of maintenance as well as increased reliability with varying feed conditions, a problem that has beleaguered many suppliers over the years.

“Enduron® SP cone crushers range from 100 hp to 400 hp, delivering one of the highest production-capacity-per-feed ratios in the industry,” JD Singleton, process manager at Weir Minerals Africa, says. “Cone crusher adjustments and operations are fully automated, and a hydraulic adjustment and locking system allows adjustments under full load. The power of a high eccentric speed, up to 375 rpm, with a larger crushing stroke results in more tons per hour produced, compared to standard cone crushers. In fact, the SP series of cone crushers delivers 30 to 40% more capacity per hour than spring-type cone crushers, according to our data and operational analysis. In addition, the Enduron® SP series of cone crushers has a high pivot point and increased mantle slope that result in a high-quality, cubical product.

“We installed the Enduron® SP cone crusher on a turnkey basis and the customer has been impressed with the increased throughput, compared to other crushers in his plant, and the fact that a more consistent size range is being achieved. “Based on this performance, we believe the Enduron® SP cone crusher is going to prove extremely appealing to a lot of operations in the mining and aggregate markets. Having proved its proficiency in this local operation, we intend to roll this technology out to all the territories we serve through our 20 service centres scattered around Africa. These crushers are ideal for the African context, particularly in terms of preparing feeds for High Pressure Grinding Rolls (HPGRs) or milling circuits, and to support aggregate specifications.”

Weir Minerals Africa plans to support these and other crushers in the Enduron range with local production. This includes local manufacture of crusher liners at the Weir Heavy Bay Foundry in Port Elizabeth, incorporating proprietary technologies. As with other products in its comminution range, Weir Minerals Africa intends to become a full solutions provider in crushing technology, which is seen as an ideal complement to its greater comminution offering. During a recent visit to South Africa Kurt O’Bryan, Weir Minerals’ Global Product Manager for cone crushers and screens based in North America, commented that no other company in the region has an aftermarket footprint that compares to Weir Minerals Africa.

“This extensive footprint is the ideal vehicle to roll out and support our expanding Enduron® range,” he said. “We’ve been operating and growing the reach of our southern African service centres for decades and they are unmatched in terms of capability and excellence. We’re now expanding and leveraging this success story with the Enduron® cone crushers and a number of other new products needed in the present market, which offer the same Big Five features as our existing range, namely reliability, efficiency, low operating costs, high performance and aftermarket support.” The Enduron® line of comminution equipment includes jaw and impact crushers, as well as screens and feeders.