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  • Case - Study - 4 Quarry Fines Minimization

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    This document summarizes a case study of a limestone quarry that optimized its crushing process to reduce quarry fines production. The quarry originally used a two-stage circuit with a jaw crusher and horizontal shaft impact crusher. It replaced the impact crusher with a cone crusher, reducing fines from 67 tons per hour to 44 tons per hour, a 34% decrease, while increasing concrete aggregate production from 47 tons per hour to 71 tons per hour, a 50% increase. The process optimization successfully lowered fines and boosted higher-grade aggregate yields.

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    Case_study_4 Quarry Fines Minimization

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    This document summarizes a case study of a limestone quarry that optimized its crushing process to reduce quarry fines production. The quarry originally used a two-stage circuit with a jaw crusher and horizontal shaft impact crusher. It replaced the impact crusher with a cone crusher, reducing fines from 67 tons per hour to 44 tons per hour, a 34% decrease, while increasing concrete aggregate production from 47 tons per hour to 71 tons per hour, a 50% increase. The process optimization successfully lowered fines and boosted higher-grade aggregate yields.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    11 views8 pages

    Case - Study - 4 Quarry Fines Minimization

    Uploaded by

    dcd1980
    This document summarizes a case study of a limestone quarry that optimized its crushing process to reduce quarry fines production. The quarry originally used a two-stage circuit with a jaw crusher and horizontal shaft impact crusher. It replaced the impact crusher with a cone crusher, reducing fines from 67 tons per hour to 44 tons per hour, a 34% decrease, while increasing concrete aggregate production from 47 tons per hour to 71 tons per hour, a 50% increase. The process optimization successfully lowered fines and boosted higher-grade aggregate yields.

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    of 8

    Quarry Fines Minimisation:

    Process Optimisation Case Study 4


    1 2
    Clive Mitchell & Adam Benn
    1 British Geological Survey, Nicker Hill, Keyworth, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG12 5GG
    2 Metso Minerals (UK) Ltd, Parkfield Road, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV21 1QJ

    Kingsley Dunham Centre, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, Tel 0115 936 3100 © NERC All rights reserved
    Quarry Fines Minimisation

    • Production of quarry fines (material < 4mm) is a consequence of


    extraction & processing in a quarry.
    • The amount produced depends on the rock type, amount of
    fragmentation by blasting & type of crushing used.
    • Optimisation of process circuits may help to reduce the amount
    of fines produced.
    • This case study presents a process audit & modelling of process
    changes using Metso Minerals optimisation software, Bruno.
    • This work was carried out for the ‘Quarry Fines Minimisation’
    project funded by the Aggregate Levy Sustainability Fund
    (ALSF) MIST programme (www.mi-st.org.uk)
    • Further information: www.goodquarry.com
    © NERC All rights reserved
    Case Study 4: Limestone Quarry
    • Operation: Limestone quarry, Leicestershire
    • Geology: Milldale Limestone Formation & Mudmound Reef,
    Cloud Hill Dolostone Formation, Carboniferous
    • Products : Roadstone, agricultural lime, crushed rock
    aggregate
    • Process plant: A two stage crushing circuit with Jaw and
    Impact crushers.
    • Process optimisation: A process audit was carried out to
    determine the ‘mass balance’ of the xisting circuit. The aim was to
    reduce fines production and maximise the amount of concrete
    aggregate produced.

    © NERC All rights reserved


    Case Study 4: Process change

    • Current operation: Two stage crushing circuit using a


    primary Jaw crusher and a secondary Horizontal Shaft Impact
    (HSI) crusher (closed circuit).
    • Process Change: The HSI crusher was replaced by a Cone
    crusher in the secondary crushing stage
    • Result: The amount of fines was reduced whilst the production
    of 4/20 concrete aggregate increased.

    © NERC All rights reserved


    Process Flowsheet
    Feed Screen 80mm Original process circuit
    800mm medium limestone Feed 400tph
    Undersize 144tph

    Jaw Crusher
    Feed / output 256 tph
    Setting 125mm

    Screen 75 / 50mm
    Feed 250 tph
    +75mm 115 tph
    +50mm 36 tph
    -50mm 99 tph
    Horizontal Shaft
    Impact Crusher
    Feed / output 116 tph
    Setting 20mm 50mm Sub-base
    Speed 45 m/s-1

    75mm Clean aggregate


    Screen 22 / 6.3mm
    Feed 116 tph
    +22mm 1 tph
    Aggregate products
    +6.3mm 47 tph
    -6.3mm 67 tph
    75mm (clean aggregate) 36 tph 14%
    50mm (Type 1 sub-base) 99 tph 40%
    5/20 (Concrete aggregate) 47 tph 19%
    -5mm Quarry Fines 5/20 Concrete -5mm (Quarry fines) 67 tph 27%
    aggregate Total 249tph 100%
    © NERC All rights reserved
    Feed Screen 80mm Process Flowsheet
    Feed 400tph
    800mm medium limestone
    Undersize 144tph
    Modified process circuit

    Jaw Crusher
    Feed / output 256 tph
    Setting 125mm

    Screen 75 / 50mm
    Feed 250 tph
    +75mm 115 tph
    +50mm 36 tph
    Cone Crusher -50mm 99 tph
    Feed / output 127 tph
    Setting 18 mm
    Speed 1050 RPM
    50mm Sub-base

    Screen 22 / 6.3mm 75mm Clean aggregate


    Feed 127 tph
    +22mm 12 tph
    +6.3mm 71 tph
    -6.3mm 44 tph Aggregate products

    -5mm Quarry Fines 75mm (clean aggregate) 36 tph 14%


    50mm (Type 1 sub-base) 99 tph 40%
    5/20 5/20 (Concrete aggregate) 71 tph 28%
    Concrete aggregate -5mm (Quarry fines) 44 tph 18%
    Total 250tph 100%

    © NERC All rights reserved


    Crusher product grading

    Product Original process Modified process


    (VSI crusher product) (Cone crusher product)
    Grading, mm % passing % passing

    20mm 98 92
    14mm 89 65
    10mm 75 51
    6mm 55 34
    4mm 37 29
    0.075mm 7 2
    Note Crusher discharge only

    © NERC All rights reserved


    Case study 4: Conclusions

    • Process change: Replacement of an HSI crusher with a


    Cone crusher
    • Products: The amount of concrete aggregate produced
    increased from 47 to 71tph; this represents a 50% increase in
    production
    • Fines: The amount of fines produced overall decreased from
    67 to 44tph; this represents a 34% reduction in fines (the
    reduction in fines is directly equivalent to the increase in
    concrete aggregate production, 23 and 24tph respectively)

    © NERC All rights reserved

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