What is a Mineral Sizer

I. Definition
A mineral sizer is a medium-to-fine crushing equipment based on the principle of gear roller intermeshing, widely applied in industries such as mining, coal, building materials, and environmental protection. Its core structure consists of two parallel gear rollers that rotate toward each other via motor drive. Using the teeth on the roller surfaces, it exerts composite forces including extrusion, shearing, and splitting on materials entering the crushing chamber, breaking them into the required particle size.

As a modern crushing method, it produces finished products with excellent grain shape. Our company offers primary and secondary mineral sizers, capable of processing various materials ranging from soft coal to hard rock.

II. Working Principle and Core Structure
Working Principle: The mineral sizer utilizes shear and tensile forces between gear rollers to crush materials. It features two inward-rotating gear rollers with replaceable crushing teeth. The optimal feeding method employs an apron feeder or screening equipment to convey materials at a uniform rate and distribute them evenly across the rollers.

Minerals are clamped by the front tooth surfaces of opposing rotor teeth and subjected to stress under the concentrated load of the rotor teeth, causing them to break along their natural texture.
Minerals undergo tensile crushing by bearing a three-point load between the front tooth surface of one rotor and the rear tooth surface of the other rotor.
For incompletely crushed minerals, further crushing is achieved through the fixed teeth of rotor teeth and crushing beams to ensure the three-dimensional size requirements of the discharged material.
Core Structure: This series of mineral sizers primarily comprises components such as the lubrication system, low-speed coupling, classifying gear rollers, and synchronous gear rollers.

The crushing gear rollers are the core components, consisting of two relatively rotating rollers with roller tooth rings installed. Although the roller tooth ring is a single component, it plays a pivotal role in the mineral sizer’s operation. Its performance directly impacts the crusher’s work efficiency, crushing quality, and service life.
The lubrication system ensures continuous operation by providing automatic oil supply to critical bearings and transmission parts, reducing wear and heat generation.
The low-speed coupling connects the motor to the main roller, transmitting torque while absorbing vibration to maintain stable operation.
Classifying and synchronous gear rollers work in tandem to ensure precise meshing and consistent particle size control, with synchronous rotation achieved via gear drives or timing belts.
III. Performance Advantages
Our company’s mineral sizers can be optimally configured to meet customer requirements, delivering high-performance and efficient equipment to global clients.

(1) Compact Size and Lower Cost
The mineral sizer’s compact design minimizes floor space, making it ideal for deployment in environments with limited spatial capacity. Compared to other crushers with equivalent production capacity, it is smaller in volume and lighter in weight, reducing the need for heavy structural support in factories and lowering construction costs by up to 30%. This makes it particularly suitable for retrofitting existing production lines or establishing new facilities in constrained spaces.

(2) Precise Particle Size Control and Reduced Fine Powder
Featuring a unique deep spiral tooth design, the mineral sizer effectively controls finished product particle size. The uniform particle distribution results in significantly lower over-crushing and excessive fines (typically <5%) compared to traditional crushers. By using low-speed shear and tensile crushing, it minimizes dust generation, improving working conditions and reducing material loss. For traditional mines, this reduction in fines enhances the utilization rate of finished materials, directly boosting operational efficiency and economic value.

(3) Versatility in Handling Complex Materials
Professionally engineered, our mineral sizers are customized based on material characteristics (hardness, moisture content, viscosity), input/output particle sizes, and processing capacity. Our engineers have developed specialized tooth profiles for hard, soft, and sticky materials, capable of processing a wide range of materials from soft coal to hard rock. For example:

Triangular teeth with reinforced wear-resistant coatings for high-impact resistance against hard materials.
Spiral teeth with anti-adhesion surfaces to prevent clogging from sticky materials.
(4) Modular Design for Easy Maintenance
The modular design enables rapid installation, routine inspection, and maintenance. Key components such as tooth rings, bearings, and seals are designed as replaceable modules, reducing downtime by up to 50% during maintenance. For instance, a worn tooth ring can be replaced within 2 hours using specialized tools, compared to 8 hours for traditional integrated designs. This efficiency ensures continuous production and minimizes operational disruptions.

(5) Automated Operation and Safety
Equipped with a PLC control system, the mineral sizer achieves fully automated operation, optimizing performance in real time. Key features include:

Remote monitoring of parameters (roller speed, bearing temperature, power consumption) via a centralized control panel or cloud-based platform.
Overload protection through hydraulic or spring-loaded mechanisms that automatically adjust roller spacing to avoid damage from uncrushable materials.
Integrated safety systems including automatic lubrication, bearing overheat alarms, and dust suppression to reduce manual intervention and enhance operator safety.
IV. Operation Precautions
Enhanced iron removal: Non-crushable objects such as steel bars or bolts can severely damage the rollers and cause downtime. Install a magnetic separator or metal detector upstream of the sizer to intercept such contaminants, and regularly inspect the iron removal device.
Handling large ore blocks: When processing materials with oversized chunks (>300mm), ensure proper pre-screening to prevent blockages or ejection of fragments. Operators must wear protective gear and maintain a safe distance from the feeding area.
Wear maintenance: Prolonged operation causes roller surface wear, leading to finer-than-desired particle sizes. Monitor roller wear using thickness gauges and adjust the discharge opening or replace worn components promptly, such as replacing tooth rings when wear exceeds 30% of their original height.
Lubrication management: Follow a strict lubrication schedule for gearboxes, bearings, and hydraulic systems. Use high-temperature-resistant grease for components operating above 60°C and replace lubricants according to manufacturer guidelines to prevent premature wear.
V. Conclusion
The mineral sizer’s innovative design and operational efficiency make it a versatile solution for crushing hard, dry, and wet materials across diverse industries. With a processing capacity ranging from 50 to 1,000 tons per hour, it outperforms traditional crushers in energy efficiency (15–20% lower power consumption) and material adaptability.

At our company, we prioritize customer-centric engineering, offering fully customizable mineral sizers that integrate the latest in wear-resistant materials and intelligent control systems. Whether for large-scale mining operations, coal washing plants, or recycling facilities, our equipment is designed to deliver reliable performance, reduce total cost of ownership, and support sustainable resource management.

By combining advanced technology with decades of industry expertise, we strive to empower global clients with crushing solutions that drive productivity, efficiency, and environmental responsibility. Contact us today to explore how our mineral sizers can optimize your production processes.