In a demanding application involving hard, coarse-grained gabbro for use as construction aggregate, a Trio® TP350 cone crusher supplied by Weir Minerals Africa is being used, raising production by 30%.

When one of the largest crushing operations in Oman needed to raise its production by 30%, Weir Minerals knew that a Trio® TP350 cone crusher was the answer.

It was a demanding application, involving the crushing of hard, coarse-grained gabbro for use as construction aggregate. Gabbro has a high compressive strength of 220 to 230 MPa and an abrasion index of 0,45. The existing crusher was running at 270 to 280 tonnes per hour with a closed side setting of 38 mm.

“The operators wanted to increase the crushing plant’s capacity to over 300 tonnes per hour,” says Tiisetso Masekwameng, general manager comminution at Weir Minerals Africa. “This could not be achieved without overloading the existing crusher, leading to machine trip-outs and excessive wear.”

Running for 10 hours a day seven days a week, the operation needed to be efficient. It could not afford excessive downtime caused by unexpected stoppages or frequent maintenance. Masekwameng highlights that the rugged Trio® TP range is specially designed for heavy duty crushing, and the Trio® TP350 model was ideal for this application.

“After detailed discussions with the plant’s general manager to understand their needs, we recommended this model,” she says. “With its capacity of 340 to 370 tonnes per hour at the same closed side setting of 38 mm, we were sure it would deliver the right result.”

Not only did it achieve the required output, but it also reduced downtime by 50%. Installation was straightforward, requiring only an adaptor motor base to accommodate the larger, 250 kW electric motor. Noting the crusher’s ease of maintenance, the customer was also pleased with its consistent performance and reliability.

“Our Trio TP cone crushers feature a steep crushing chamber angle and a large crushing stroke,” says Masekwameng. “They operate at an optimum speed to deliver a high-quality product through increased inter-particle comminution.”

She adds that these crushers are also designed to allow for maximum mobility without sacrificing versatility or crushing force. The Trio® crusher range is compatible with Weir’s Synertrex® technology for remote monitoring. Synertrex® is an industry-internet-of-things (IIoT) platform that monitors mining equipment for peak reliability and performance.