Mining operations require efficient material handling systems to maximize throughput and profits. As raw materials are excavated from the earth, the first critical processing step is size reduction through crushing. Traditionally, oversized rocks would be hauled to stationary crushing plants located some distance away from active mining sites. This conventional approach resulted in wasted time, higher fuel consumption and quality inconsistency due to transportation delays. To eliminate these inefficiencies, mobile crushers have been increasingly adopted by mining companies in recent years.
As fully self-contained, wheeled crushing units, mobile crusher offers unprecedented flexibility and opportunities to optimize on-site material flows from extraction to transportation. This article explores how mobile crushers are revolutionizing crushing operations through their ability to help minimize waste and ensure continuous, scalable production directly at mining pit faces.
Here are some key ways that mobile crushers help eliminate waste and optimize material handling in mining applications:
- They can be set up close to excavation/digging sites, allowing raw material to be crushed immediately and eliminating transportation of oversized rocks. This reduces hauling costs and material loss.
- Crushing is done in one stage right at the mine face/pit, allowing optimally sized material to be loaded directly into haul trucks. This removes the need for multiple digging/loading/hauling cycles to move oversized rocks to a stationary plant.
- Their portability enables continuous crushing as the mining face advances. No time is wasted waiting or hauling to a stationary plant located farther away. This improves operational continuity.
- Mobile crushers scalable capacity matches mining production rates. Excess/undersized material is minimized compared to fixed capacity stationary plants.
- Fewer transportation steps reduces fuel use and wear/tear of equipment. Mobile units' electric drives are also more energy efficient than haul trucks.
- Onsite crushing creates better sized material stockpiles closer to demand. Less re-handling is required compared to large central stockpiles.
- Their compact design occupies less space, allowing multiple units to work in tandem without wasting mining acreage.
In summary, mobile crushers optimize the material flow process from mine to transportation with minimized waste. This boosts efficiency of mining operations.