In a press release, Metso explained that the 465-tonne MP2500 cone crusher had been developed in response to the global mining industry’s increased efforts to improve operational efficiency.
“The global mining industry is striving to develop more energy- and cost-efficient technologies for minerals processing,” the press release read. “As ore grades decline, more and more ore needs to be processed to obtain the same amount of the valuable mineral and to meet production targets. This equation often results in increased processing costs and can prove problematic for miners.”
The MP2500, which was designed for secondary and tertiary crushing, was said to be able to address these issues. Not only did its huge 3290mm head diameter mean it could process greater volumes of material than would be possible on a standard sized machine, but its feed opening – which the release stated was the “largest ever made” with a range of 50mm to 560mm – was able to process larger rocks as well, using the crushing power of two Nordberg MP1250 cone crushers.
“It saves costs as fewer crushers, related infrastructure and maintenance are needed for achieving the same or increased amount of production,” the press release explained.
Safety innovations
{{image2-A:R-w:250}}For the same reason, the cone crusher was said to be able to improve site safety; the reduced amount of infrastructure resulted in less maintenance, limiting the frequency that personnel were required to conduct work on the equipment.
Metso also took steps to ensure that the maintenance that was required could be conducted safely and with relative ease by developing a new method to remove the crusher’s socket – a concept that currently has a patent pending.
Metso explained in its press release that the new method to remove the socket “eliminates heating of the part in a difficult working space”. This method also eliminates process variables associated with socket removal and reduces the overall stress on both the socket and main shaft.
“Metso also refined the existing jackbolt locknut design to reduce the amount of manual work and replaced it with hydraulics to simplify the same work,” the release added.
The first MP2500, which was valued at more than €10 million ($AUD14.3 million), will be installed at First Quantum Minerals’ Sentinel copper mine in Zambia, Africa and is expected to be operational in early 2015.