What is the purpose of the mineral sizer in mining
I. Definition
A mineral sizer is a medium and fine crushing device based on the principle of intermeshing tooth roll crushing. It represents a modernized crushing method capable of producing well-shaped final products. Our company offers both primary and secondary mineral sizers that can handle a wide range of materials—from soft coal to hard rock. EXCT’s mineral sizers are widely used in the mining industry and are suitable for primary, secondary, and tertiary crushing operations of various minerals, including coal, salt, gypsum, phosphate, limestone, bauxite, petroleum coke, lignite, trona, carbon anodes, oil sands, clay, shale, and more.
II. Working Principle
The EXCT mineral sizer delivers compact and efficient crushing performance. Its operating principle involves two counter-rotating toothed rollers, generating continuous pressure between them to crush materials. Initially, the mineral is gripped by the leading faces of the opposing rotor teeth, and subjected to compressive stress under concentrated load, causing the material to fracture along its natural grain. Then, the mineral is subjected to tensile breakage through a three-point loading mechanism—between the leading edge of one rotor tooth and the trailing edge of the opposite tooth. Finally, any unbroken material is further crushed between the fixed teeth on the crushing bar and the rotor teeth to meet the required discharge particle size specifications.
III. Technical Advantages
1.High Capacity and Compact Design
Thanks to its unique crushing action, the mineral sizer handles materials quickly and efficiently, offering high throughput in a compact layout
2.Handling of Hard Materials
The unique tooth alloy composition of EXCT mineral sizers allows them to handle materials ranging from soft coal to hard granite.
3.Accurate Product Size Control and Minimal Fines
The mineral sizer precisely controls product size and minimizes the generation of dust and fine particles compared to other crushing equipment.
4.Processing of Wet and Sticky Materials
EXCT mineral sizers are capable of crushing both wet, sticky materials and dry, hard rocks—or even a combination of the two.
5.Overload Protection
Equipped with overload protection systems, EXCT mineral sizers are safeguarded against damage from uncrushable materials.
6.Automated Operation
Integrated with PLC control systems, the mineral sizer supports remote and automated operation and monitoring, ensuring continuous and optimized performance.
IV. Application Scenarios
1.Coal Crushing
Mineral sizers are widely used in coal mines for primary crushing at mine entrances or in coal preparation plants, to meet size requirements for washing, gasification, or transportation. Advantages: Ideal for handling high-moisture, sticky coals. Compared to hammer crushers, mineral sizers produce less dust, reduce over-crushing, and have superior anti-blocking performance.
2.Metal Mines
Mineral sizers are used for crushing medium to low hardness metal ores such as iron ore, manganese ore, and bauxite. Commonly used in the early stages of beneficiation processes, they perform pre-crushing or secondary crushing to reduce grinding energy consumption and enhance subsequent milling efficiency.
3.Non-metallic Mineral Crushing
Mineral sizers are effective for brittle or medium-hard non-metallic ores such as phosphate, potash, gypsum, and limestone. They produce appropriately sized materials for further chemical processing or sintering.
4.Tailings Treatment and Resource Recovery
Mineral sizers are applied in secondary crushing during tailings reprocessing to recover valuable materials. For example, breaking agglomerated particles in tailings, crushing waste rock in tailings ponds, and recovering valuable metals. Significance: Capable of processing low-moisture tailings with low over-crushing rates, facilitating downstream screening and separation while promoting green mining and resource utilization.
5.Integrated Operation with Other Equipment
In coarse crushing, mineral sizers can work in conjunction with vibrating screens, e.g., in open-pit coal mining. In fine crushing, they can operate alongside jaw crushers and ball mills, especially in metal mineral processing applications.
V. Conclusion
EXCT is the world’s leading manufacturer of mineral sizers. Our equipment is designed for easy maintenance, low operating costs, and meets world-class performance standards. EXCT mineral sizers are engineered to deliver maximum efficiency and minimal lifetime maintenance costs. We are committed to providing our customers with professional service and premium-quality products.
