Terex Washing Systems’ equipment is helping Barro Group reach its production goals in Victoria.
Barro Group is one of the recognisable names in the Australian quarrying sector. Its distinctive green and red logo can be seen around the country, and the independent construction materials producer’s products are used in everything from infrastructure projects to residential construction and more.
Adam Wilkinson, quarry manager at Barro Group’s Wodonga Quarries, spoke to Quarry about the company’s partnership with Terex Washing Systems through its Wodonga Quarries operation.
The Wodonga site focuses on producing concrete aggregates and sand, which supports Barro Group’s distribution of premixed concrete and other construction materials. The site also serves construction projects around Wodonga, including road projects, buildings, housing, and subdivisions.
The Terex partnership with Barro Group began during COVID-19, when the two organisations worked together to install a new integrated crushing, screening, and washing modular plant to replace the ageing plant.
At the time, both Terex and Barro Group described the Terex Jaques/Terex Washing Systems processing plant as a “one-stop shop” for the quarry’s needs.
The original circuit consists of an AggreSand 206 modular wash plant – comprising a primary three-deck, 6m x 1.8m rinsing screen with an integrated sand plant, self-regulating sump tank, twin cyclones, 4.3m x 1.8m dewatering screen, and radial sand stockpilers – backed by a modular MC1150 cone crusher with integrated surge bin and pan feeder, and another 6m x 1.8m part-rinsing, aggregate sizing screen. A Terex-designed MCC and electrical control system control all of the equipment.
The MC1150 modular plant comprises a 14-tonne TC1150 roller-bearing cone crusher with a nominal head diameter of 1150mm. It can accommodate fine, medium-fine, and extra-fine manganese profiles and is powered by a 220kW motor.
Years later, the Barro Group wanted to enhance its sand production rates at the Edwards Road site, which sparked another collaboration with Terex Jaques and Terex Washing Systems.
“We approached them about putting the second dewatering screen in for our manufactured sand, which allowed us to increase our sand production. It was sort of an option in the original proposals. It was already thrown out there when Terex did the original plans, so we knew it was an option if we wanted to do it.
“[The original] plant was up and running, and we thought it was time to add to it and get some increased production out of it.”
Terex Washing Systems helped install the FM120, which provided Barro Group with the production and processing capability it was after. The FM120 is a sand processing unit designed to be cost— and energy-efficient. It can recover one or two grades of sand with an output of 80-120 tonnes per hour and works in conjunction with the other equipment from Terex Washing Systems. According to the company, its dedicated high-frequency dewatering screen can reduce residual water in the final product by 10 to 15 per cent.
It has a collection tank, centrifugal slurry pumps, hydrocyclones, and a dewatering screen on a single chassis. The FM120’s cyclones use centrifugal force to remove clay, silt, and slimes from the sand product and bring it up to specification.
“Within the first month, we knew it was going to do well, and we had noticed the increase in production, and we’re not losing as many fines in our waste water,” Wilkinson said.
“It is a nice, compact set-up, and it uses the same parts, cyclones, and pumps as our current plant, so it gives us interchangeability with parts. Having the interchangeability was a big bonus.”
One of the main benefits of the new system is enhanced water management.
“It has helped with our water management a fair bit. Especially because you’re not transferring material around, we’ve cut our water usage down and increased production by a fair bit,” Wilkinson said.
“It also allowed us to dedicate the original dewatering screen completely to sand, and it has led to about a 30 per cent increase in production, which is what we wanted.”
For a partnership that began during the COVID-19 pandemic, Terex Washing Systems’ equipment has helped Barro Group’s Wodonga Quarries increase its production.
Through smart planning and clever design, Terex Washing Systems has been able to seamlessly add onto the Wodonga system to help Wodonga Quarries and Barro Group achieve their production goals.
“We looked at other suppliers but stuck with Terex because they supplied the original plant and we wanted consistency,” Wilkinson said
“To have your original request met and then have options in the future if you wanted to upgrade is definitely a plus and probably a big reason why we went with Terex originally.” •
For more information, visit terex.com/washing