New crusher boosts efficiency, reduces costs across Africa

Local mobile and semi-mobile crushing and screening equipment provider Pilot Crushtec has introduced to the African market the Metso HRC 8 high-pressure grinding roll crusher that addresses critical inefficiencies in the mining and quarrying industries.

Pilot Crushtec’s introduction of Finnish mining equipment maker Metso’s machine is expected to create new avenues for operational efficiency and productivity in Africa.

The machine’s ability to enhance mill productivity, reduce costs and convert quarry waste into valuable products underscores its potential to modernise crushing operations across Africa, says Pilot Crushtec sales and marketing director Francois Marais, who enthuses that the machine “creates exciting possibilities” for quarry and mining operations.

In conversation with Mining Weekly, he explains that the machine is particularly well-suited to aggregate producers as it uses high-pressure grinding rolls to reduce energy consumption, reduce operational costs and improve yield quality through a more meticulous crushing process.

Pilot Crushtec mounted the first unit, which was available at the end of last month, onto a mobile chassis to showcase its potential in the African environment. This feature, says Marais, is likely to resonate well with operators looking for flexibility in their crushing operations.

Another HRC 8 feature is the capacity to reduce energy consumption by up to 50%. This is achieved by using slow rolls, which move at about 32 rpm and are powered by two 75-kW motors.

Unlike traditional cone or impact crushers, the HRC 8 uses a gentler extrusion process rather than an impact process, which Marais says, not only conserves energy, but also reduces wear on components, resulting in longer operational lifespans for the machine’s wear parts.

“Instead of using immense force, the HRC 8 meticulously crushes materials, reducing the creation of ultra-fines, which are often problematic in mining and aggregate processes. It also drastically reduces the need for secondary crushing,” he explains.

The HRC 8’s design allows it to extend the life of its wear parts by up to four times, compared to traditional crushers – a key factor in lowering operational expenses.

International case studies have also shown that operators can go up to a year without changing the wear parts of an HRC 8, compared to the more frequent wear part replacements required in impact and cone crushers.

Quarry operators in Africa often face the challenge of dealing with large volumes of waste material that cannot be economically processed using traditional crushing methods. The HRC 8 offers a solution to this issue by converting waste into valuable products, such as manufactured sand.

In many quarries, waste material accumulates because the size fraction cannot be reduced further without excessive costs. The HRC 8 changes this dynamic by enabling quarry operators to turn this waste into saleable products, making it an economical choice, says Marais.

The crushing philosophy of the HRC 8 further helps increase the yield from each pass of material, reducing the need for multiple cycles through the crusher. This efficient process contributes to lower energy use and less strain on the machine’s components.

In the mining sector, the HRC 8 has the potential to significantly improve milling efficiency.

“By meticulously crushing material into smaller, more uniform sizes, the machine reduces the amount of energy needed for further processing in mills. This reduction in energy use not only lowers operational costs, but also ensures a more sustainable approach to mining operations,” says Marais.

He adds that the machine’s ability to precisely reduce material size enables mills to process feedstock more efficiently. The benefit of this is lower wear and tear on milling equipment, reduced power consumption and higher productivity.

In a traditional impact or cone crusher, up to 70% of the material often needs to be re-crushed.

Although it is not a high-tonnage machine, Marais says the increased efficiency and yield from a single pass more than compensates for the machine’s modest output of 60 t/h to 90 t/h.

Overall, Pilot Crushtec believes the HRC 8 will be well-received across Africa. However, while there may be some initial hesitancy among operators accustomed to traditional methods, Marais is confident that the HRC 8 will establish itself as a “go-to machine” for quarrying and mining applications.

“Each application has its own challenges, and while cone crushers and impactors will still be appropriate in some cases, we believe the HRC 8 opens up new possibilities, and we are excited to see how the machine performs in the African market and expect it to make a significant impact,” he concludes.