Situated in Derbyshire close to the Peak District in central England, Dove Holes is CEMEX’s largest quarry and provides aggregates for construction projects all over the country.
The Dove Holes operation continually strives to be more efficient and sustainable, with nearly 50% of the aggregates transported by rail to major markets such as Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester, London and Birmingham.
With an increasing demand for aggregates, in March 2021, the CEMEX Dove Holes team engaged the expertise of PowerX Equipment, signing a crushing contract to increase their output to satisfy this surge in demand.
PowerX Equipment proposed the ideal combination of three machines: a Powerscreen Trakpactor 550 impact crusher, a Powerscreen Chieftain 2200 screener and a Powerscreen Maxtrak 1000 cone crusher, which working together process the single-size limestone at the required output. Operation is simple with the as-dug material loaded by shovel into the hopper of the Trakpactor 550, which in turn feeds the Chieftain 2200. The screener stockpiles two sizes and recirculates the +20mm oversize directly back into the Maxtrak 1000, which after crushing it again, feeds it back into the Chieftain for further stockpiling.
Dove Holes primary manager Neil Plant, who has responsibility for overburden removal, drilling and blasting, primary and contract crushing, takes up the story: “The proposal from PowerX Equipment ticked all the boxes on price. Since the start of the contract, we have been delighted with the performance of the equipment and the support we have received from PowerX.”
With the combination of machines employed at Dove Holes, the operation is finely tuned to produce the maximum output of saleable sized aggregate at a high production rate.
With the as-dug material being fed into the large hopper of the primary crusher in the line, the Powerscreen Trakpactor 550 impactor is an ideal crusher for processing soft to medium-hard primary materials like limestone.
Material is fed into the large feed hopper common on both the vibrating grizzly feeder and live pre-screen versions, both of which feature a selectable crusher bypass facility and optional fines discharge conveyor. With up to 500 tonnes per hour (tph) of output potential, load sensing ensures the wide crusher inlet opening receives a continuous feed of pre-screened material, avoiding unnecessary crusher wear.
The Powerscreen Trakpactor 550’s robust impact chamber features a twin apron, four-bar rotor design, with hydraulic release aprons, hydraulic setting adjustment, hydraulic crusher overload and is driven directly off the engine via clutch for optimum fuel economy.
At the centre of the screening operation at Dove Holes, the Powerscreen Chieftain 2200 two-deck screen processes large volumes of high-specification products with maximum versatility. The Powerscreen Chieftain 2200 has two highly versatile double-deck screen boxes, which provide a total screening area of 19.5m². It has a revolutionary patent-pending drive system that allows switching between two and four bearings with bolt-on parts. The maximum variability of the Chieftain offers improved capabilities over its class rivals, especially in sticky scalping applications. User benefits include a quick set-up time (typically under 30 minutes) with hydraulically folding conveyors and track mobility. Its high-aggression screen boxes manage dirty, sticky material with ease.
At the heart of the recirculation of the oversize material is the high-performance Powerscreen 1000 Maxtrak cone crusher, a machine that has been designed for direct feed applications without pre-screening on clean rock. At the heart of the Maxtrak is the Automax cone crusher with hydraulic setting, tramp release, and unblocking system. Its unique crushing action provides excellent capacity, high reduction, and optimum product cubicity to produce high-quality aggregate and sub-base materials.
Luke Talbot, managing director of PowerX, said: “Teamwork with the customer, in this case, CEMEX, is vital in ensuring that needs are met at the Dove Holes operation. We will always, where possible, adapt to meet changes in a processing situation. To date, it’s been a total success what has been achieved so far with the machine line-up of world-beating Terex Powerscreen equipment.”
The PowerX Equipment team has a hugely successful portfolio of contract crushing over many years and has completed contracts up to 10-years long and, notably, achieved landmark processing in the construction of the Aberdeen bypass, where the team processed more than four million tonnes of granite.
The 500-hectares Dove Holes site plays a major part in conservation, as the surrounding grassland around the quarry area is a key habitat for the rare twite bird. This species has been categorised as having high conservation importance and is a priority UK BAP (Biodiversity Action Plan) species. The grassland helps provide the seed food needed by the twite, which has been seen nesting in cracks of an old quarry face. CEMEX is constantly working with the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) to help manage and restore its sites, giving nature a home.
Sandvik Mobile Crushers and Screens has introduced the QI353 mid-size impactor, the first of its new third-generation 3-Series products. Designed in response to customer research, the QI353 has been built with more productivity, uptime, efficiency, flexibility, connectivity, and safety at the forefront of its innovative design.
The Sandvik QI353 features a ground-up new mid-size track platform and custom Prisec impact crusher. Targeted at quarry, recycling and contractor segments, the QI353 is the most versatile, mid-sized mobile impactor available today, designed to provide more uptime than any other.
The QI353 offers a user-friendly mobile solution with the operator in mind, with controls and maintenance points located conveniently at ground level. The new automated control system featuring Optik intuitive user experience is a key highlight. It offers a colour visual display, easy navigation, and total integration for troubleshooting, diagnostics and support.
The QI353 has been designed with productivity in mind and can process up to 400 tph. Its feed arrangement includes a new feed hopper with heavy-duty curved sides for greater capacity and tapered feed arrangement to reduce blockages and ensure continuous crushing. It also features a new pan feeder with geared drive and a larger pre-screen with improved access to replace media. At the core of the QI353 is a new mid-size Prisec impact crusher, which boasts the largest feed opening 1170mm x 730mm and largest rotor diameter 1150mm in its class, for higher capacity and greater energy efficiency. Adjustable apron curtains and tip speed ensure a wide range of product grades can be achieved. Also, all plant conveyors have larger discharge heights for increased stockpiling capacity.
The QI353 features a free-flowing feed arrangement where all components in the flow path through the machine get wider for improved material flow. A larger pre-screen ensures effective fines removal, maximising throughput and reducing wear. In addition, the QI353 benefits from extended service intervals and larger onboard fuel storage to extend intervals between refuelling.
The QI353 has been designed to consume less energy. Its double-deck pre-screen ensures maximum scalping capability and prevents any undersized material from passing through the impactor. This maximises crusher throughput while also reducing wear costs and energy consumption. The machine requires 40% less hydraulic oil per service and benefits from extended hydraulic oil replacement intervals. When combined, this can be up to 64% less hydraulic oil consumed over 10,000 hours of machine usage (subject to oil sampling). The QI353 is also fitted with the latest emissions-compliant power pack for maximum performance and cost-efficiency.
The QI353 comes prepared to accept Sandvik’s new enhanced HS323 hanging screen module, offering the flexibility for the crusher to operate in an open or closed circuit. Boasting a high degree of flexibility to suit any application, the QI353 is particularly useful for contractors who change jobs frequently. The natural fines conveyor can be positioned for right- or left-hand discharge with a three-position bypass chute under the pre-screen, allowing you to decide where to send your natural fines.
The HS323 enhancements include prepared-to-accept belt scales for tph monitoring on fines and stockpile conveyor belts, subframe enhanced for improved screen media access and tensioning and an updated mid-size stockpile conveyor. The novel design enables set-up in less than 30 minutes and can be fitted without the use of additional lifting equipment. The patent-pending hanging screen option delivers multi-functionality as a one-, two- or three-way split screener, as well as a highly productive and efficient impact crusher.
The new automation system with Optik intuitive user experience includes simplified operation controls and total integration with Sandvik’s My Fleet telematics solution. Diagnostic support, pre-installed guides for troubleshooting and real-time information allow customers to know exactly how their equipment is being utilised. One of the new additions to the plant is the availability of optional belt scales on the QI353. These are fitted to the product conveyor and enable productivity data to be displayed on the user interface and via My Fleet for tph monitoring.
With operator safety paramount, Sandvik has incorporated a new access platform under the feeder and pre-screen and a spacious three-sided 270° platform for service and maintenance. A lifting beam, jib and tackle are provided, as well as the patented rotor turning device to ensure operator safety when removing, rotating, or installing hammers. A height-adjustable overband magnet and all conveyors can be conveniently lowered for inspection and servicing purposes. Enhanced safety features are embedded within Optik intuitive user experience, including visual warnings and emergency stop locations.
Stelex Engineering, manufacturer and supplier of the original ‘Hercules’ range of heavy-duty trommel screens, has added to its machines operating in Norway.
The HT212 model was chosen for its heavy-duty features when working with a very abrasive feed material and processing large rock sizes at high hourly rates.
The HT212 is rated up to 750 tph and can accept a maximum lump size of 1050mm direct from a dump truck. The heavy-duty feed hopper is fully lined with wear-resistant steel plates.
The Norwegian customer requires specific weights of rocks to be screened from the trommel barrel. The barrel needed a bespoke design that maximised the open area of the screening surface. Stelex’s valuable experience, gained over many years, means that the barrel now lasts longer than ever.
A chute is fitted under the first half of the barrel that feeds the fines to a conveyor and away for further processing. Chutes under the second half of the 8m-long barrel separate the different product sizes ready for collection from bays on each side of the trommel.
The purpose-built power unit for the trommel allows the barrel rotation speed and feeder stroke rate to be changed very quickly and easily from the touch-screen panel. These parameters can be changed to suit the feed-material characteristics and the weather conditions at different times of the year. The 20-inch standard container used for the power unit provides a safe and lockable housing for the motors, pumps and associated hydraulic and electrical equipment.
The modular design of the trommel allows for simple installation and quick site startup. All plant is transported to customers from Stelex’s UK-based factory.
Stelex says it would not have been possible to carry out this project with any other screening method than the trommel based on the large feed size, high tonnage rates required, and large product sizes required. This is even more evident with the work site containing high quantities of clay/contamination.
Hercules trommels are helping customers to reduce waste material within their quarries and extend the life of existing quarry reserves for years to come.
Northern Ireland-based Omega Crushing & Screening (Omega) will soon have three versions of the same high-quality jaw crusher available to customers.
Set to be released on the market in March 2022, the 1000 x 650mm J1065T tracked jaw crusher follows Omega’s field-proven J1065M wheeled mobile crusher and J1065S modular static crushing plant.
The J1065T is a cost-effective, all-electric-drive tracked jaw crusher well suited to quarrying, mining, and recycling applications. Capable of up to 200 tonnes per hour throughput, the dual-powered plant is equipped with a Deutz generator. Like the J1065M and J1065S, the J1065T is fitted with the high-performing Northern Irish-built Omega 1065 jaw crusher with its simple toggle tensioning system.
As well as its user-friendly operation with no PLC (programmable logic controller), the J1065M comes with dual power options and is well suited to urban worksites along with primary quarry applications.
The all-electric-drive J1065S crusher can integrate into an existing system or be used in a standalone application. The latter’s modularity also allows it to fit in a container for shipping.
Last year was highly encouraging for Castlederg, Co. Tyrone-based Omega, after a severely coronavirus-impacted 2020. Colin Daly, the company’s co-founder and sales director, who has over 30 years of experience in the global crushing and screening plant market, says Omega’s future-proofing focus on quality electric-powered plant leaves it well placed for growth in 2022.
“Our customers so far have mainly been traditional quarry-based buyers, but one of the last crushers we sold was a static plant that went to a skip hire company in Poland and is working indoors. Another static plant is currently working in a recycling company in Loughborough, England, which has replaced a traditional hydraulic diesel-powered crusher.
“The customer thinks that running our electric-powered crusher, instead of a hydraulic diesel plant, will decrease his fuel cost each year.”
Commenting on Omega’s biggest-selling crushers during the company’s first three years of trading, he continues: “The whole industry moved from static applications to wheeled mobile to tracked mobile, and surprisingly we find ourselves quoting on all-electric modular crushing plants.
“The crushers work with a variable speed drive and have a reverse function that can run different cycles to clear any crushing chamber blockage,” adds Anthony Carlin, an Omega co-founder and the firm’s technical support director. “When we’ve done testing, we tend to find that just one cycle can get rid of whatever is blocking throughput. We call our system OmegaEcoDrive. It is the kind of safety system that is going to be the future for crushing.”
“Our system can also save up to four hours in downtime when you’d otherwise have to physically empty the crushing chamber to remove a blockage,” adds Carlin, who has more than 20 years of crushing and screening industry experience.
During Aggregates Business’s Omega factory visit in early December 2021, the company’s senior design engineer, Burton Taylor, was examining the walkways on a quarry customer’s J1065S plant to see if any adjustments could further enhance operator access and safety. “We have a company policy of continuous improvement,” he explains. “This plant is part of that.”
Daly points to a J1065M jaw crusher inside the factory as an example of how Omega can tweak each model for specific customer applications. “This crusher is going to a limestone quarry customer in Malta who is changing his plant fleet from diesel to electric as part of a government scheme. We are increasing the size of the hopper walls so a dump truck can feed it directly from the back, rather than a wheeled loader or excavator.”
Omega crushers’ robustness in extreme weather conditions is another key selling point, notes Daly. “We have a crusher working in extreme heat in an Uruguayan mine, working double shift day and night in high temperatures. We’ve got another in western Norway working well in -20C temperatures.”
Daly says 2022 will see Omega making further progress in building its global dealer network, with the company attending off-highway equipment industry exhibitions in Europe and the Middle East. The bulk of the firm’s current customers is in the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, and South America.
“The first year of the business was all about product development. The coronavirus hit in 2020, but 2021 was a much better year for us. We hit the ground running and developed our new tracked machine [J1065T]. We’ve started a line of stockpilers for our static and wheeled crushers and will look at producing impactors, cone crushers and screeners in due course.”
Metso Outotec launches O-series spares
Metso Outotec is launching O-Series spares, a new range of OEM (original equipment manufacturer) crusher spare parts, said to offer the ideal combination of value, quality and function.
O-Series spares are warranted spare parts backed by Metso Outotec’s world-class service and support systems.
Charlotte Kilpinen, global product manager of O-Series spares at Metso Outotec, said: “Metso Outotec is expanding the crusher spares product offering to include previously underserved customer segments. O-Series spares is a cost-sensitive alternative that is ideal for customers who want the added value and security offered by the OEM but at a price that makes sense for their operations. The O-Series crusher spares are developed with strong OEM know-how with an understanding that not all customers value the same qualities of spare parts.”
Metso O-Series spares is a focused parts offering for the most important operational spare parts, enabling the right balance between performance and affordability for your Metso Outotec crusher. With a commitment to ensure that O-Series spares will grow with its customers, new parts will be added regularly so customers can rely on Metso Outotec to provide quality, affordable parts with the security and value of the OEM.
Initially, O-Series spares will be available for the Metso Outotec Nordberg HP Series but will expand to include other models such as the C Series jaw crushers. The O-Series will be sold through select Metso Outotec sales offices, and the accredited Metso Outotec distributors in most of the European countries (France, Germany, Russia, UK, Ireland and Nordics). The O-Series will be released incrementally over the course of the next year as well as grow in its offering. O-Series crusher spares expand the existing O-Series line that was launched in 2019 with O-Series crusher wears by offering customers a comprehensive solution.
“We are pleased to launch this new range of crusher spare parts and give our customers the opportunity to get better control of their operations with an affordable, fit-for-purpose product,” Kilpinen concludes.
