Partnering with quarries from design stage right through to decommissioning ensures that they get the lowest cost per ton of quality product over the life of their crushing equipment, according to JD Singleton, general manager Trio® crushing and screening equipment at Weir Minerals Africa.

“Quarry operators need to ensure that the crushing machine selected is fit-for-purpose and will meet the precise requirements of their operation,” says Singleton. “Weir Minerals Africa’s crushing and screening engineers first conduct a full assessment of the crushing operation – looking at factors like material feed size, product type, capacity required, product sizes required, shape of material, hardness and moisture.”

The right choice of equipment can then be made from Weir Minerals’ comprehensive portfolio, with capacities from 50 tph to 1500 tph and catering for all ore bodies. An added advantage for customers is that the team of applications engineers and engineering support work from the same premises, so customer-specific solutions can be jointly developed.

After the commissioning phase, a dedicated aftermarket support structure is in place including visits from teams that understand the customer operations – to assist with preventative maintenance and technical support. Good off-the-shelf availability of consumable spares and wear parts makes for quick responses and minimum downtime.

“Significant research and development has been undertaken on those products that have the greatest impact on customer operations,” says Rasheel Sukdhoe, product manager Trio® crushing and screening equipment. “Notably, these are our Trio® TP cone crushers and our Trio® TV vertical shaft impact (VSI) crushers – machines that are responsible for producing final product and therefore directly impact on operations’ revenue streams.”

Sukdhoe says applying the right crushing technology in these areas helps quarries to increase flexibility and reduce operating costs. The Trio® TP cone crusher, for instance, has been engineered with a unique combination of high crushing force, high throw and high pivot point. Its steep crushing chamber angle and large crushing stroke allows operation at optimum speed for a finer product, while its crushing action delivers maximum throughput and increased interparticle breakage. The high pivot point provides a greater reduction ratio at the top of the head, resulting in greater flexibility in feed size and higher production.

Engineered for use in tertiary or quaternary stage crushing, the Trio® VSI crusher also offers high throughput with reliable and cost-efficient performance – featuring advanced open table designs, multi-port rotors and a larger bearing capacity than most other VSI crushers in the industry.

Available with three interchangeable chamber configurations for maximum application flexibility in producing high quality cubical aggregates, this crusher also features the externally adjustable feed tube which allows adjustment without opening the crusher.

“The integral vibration protection system alerts personnel to potential problems and will shut down the crusher if there is excess vibration – to protect it from possible damage,” he says. “A further safety feature is the micro-switch in the lid lift, preventing the crusher from starting up during inspection or maintenance.”