Crushed stone in different sizes and shapes, right down to wonderful sand, is used in various ways. It is a base material used in road construction to bond with asphalt and create a firm, durable surface. Crushed stone is used as an additive to cement for construction purposes. The crushed stone enhances the aesthetics of landscape projects and assists with drainage and weed control. Finely crushed stone is often used on multi-purpose hiking and biking trails. Crushed stone is used for erosion control. It is used to make rock salt. Believe it or not, it is even used as an additive in chicken feed! Here is a look at how industrial crushers are used in material processing.
So, where does that crushed stone come from?
Wouldn’t it be nice if when the raw materials for such stone and sand are first harvested, they would come out of the earth in nice, evenly sized pieces? Is it equally lovely if recycled concrete and asphalt could instantly be resized for reuse? Of course, it doesn’t work that way. Mining, aggregate, and mineral processing industries rely on heavy-duty machinery like industrial rock crushers and other related equipment to reduce raw materials to the manageable and marketable sizes end-use industries want and need.
Depending on the desired end use and the characteristics of the raw materials, the crushing process may require multiple stages and involve different types of crushers.
Primary Stage Crushing
Generally, the crushing process can involve as many as three stages. These are described as primary, secondary, and tertiary depending on the reduction required. In the primary stage, it is typical for mechanical, compression-force jaw, gyratory or impact crushers to be fed large pieces of raw materials such as ore or concrete which reduces their size to smaller pieces of four to six inches. Jaw crushers are particularly popular because they can often be used in tandem with secondary and tertiary crushers to move raw materials through multiple stages efficiently. When these smaller pieces exit the machine, they may then be prepared to be marketed as is or moved on to a secondary crusher.
Secondary Stage Crushing
Secondary-stage crushers, such as roller crushers or cone crushers, further reduce the size of the end product that is discharged from the primary-stage crusher. These machines create smaller pieces of rock similar to gravel in size and shape.
Tertiary Stage Crushing
Should a finer sand-like material be required, the crushed material from a secondary stage process will be fed into a tertiary crusher, which may also be accomplished with a cone crusher.
About Multi-Stage Crushing
Often, crushers have adjustable settings that allow the user to manage the desired output size better. The challenge is to have a good handle on the types and sizes of crushers and complementary equipment like screeners, sorters, shredders, and conveyors to produce the evenly sized material you’re looking for. This is where a reputable, full-service material processing equipment sales and service company can provide invaluable assistance.
In addition, some projects may only require a particular crusher for a fixed amount of time, so dealing with a supplier that offers sales, leasing, and rental options as well as parts, service, and repair from a variety of manufacturers along with sage advice is in a material processor’s best interest.
Published by Mark V.
