Mining

Extraction of nonmetallic mineral raw materials

With the help of crushing rotor-type equipment (hammers and rotor blowbars) nonmetallic mineral raw materials are proceeded, usually of sediment nature, and also weather rocks of residual soils with large amount of clayish materials causing adhering.

Crushed rock salt
Crushed rock salt
Crushed fluorite
Crushed fluorite
Chrisotile asbestos
Chrisotile asbestos
Grinded graphite
Grinded graphite

Such materials include:

Combustible minerals: coal, combustible shales, turf.

Bauxites and laterite residual soils for producing argils and aluminum smelting.

Mining chemical raw materials:

  • Barites are used as raw material for whitewash production, and also as a filling compound in the production of rubber, linoleum, paper and drilling agents.
  • Brimstone is used as raw material for rubber vulcanization and in production of pyrotechnic compositions.
  • Rock salt is used in food production, medicine, and utility services as an anti-freezing solution against glaze ice.
  • Potassium salt, apatite, phosphate rock are used as raw material in production of mineral fertilizers.
  • Fluorite is used for production of metallic fluxes, fluorine and fluorides, hydrofluoric acid and additives for production of enamel and glaze.

Nonmetallic industrial raw materials:

  • Chrisotile asbestos is used as raw material for production of different heat insulating and fireproof construction materials and products (plates, slabs, pipes, cloths, cords, tapes, bricks, etc.). Also used as a filling for mastics, sealants, lining mass, drilling agents and grouting mortars, construction solutions and compounds.
  • Magnesite is used in production of refractory and astringent materials in chemical industry and in production of refractory brick.
  • Talcum is used in production of additives in food and pharmaceutics industries.
  • Kaolin (white clay) is used as raw material for producing porcelain, faience, electrical and technical ceramics, and also different types of bricks and roofing products (tiling and etc.)
  • Clay is used as raw material in production of cement, technical and construction ceramics as well as for different types of brick and roofing materials (tile and other).
  • Carbonate strata (chalk, limestone, dolomite) are used as raw material in production of cement, lime mortars and various construction materials.
  • Plaster (selenite and alabaster) and karstenite are used as raw material in production of special grouting mortar, binding construction mortar and construction materials (drywall, plasterboard, etc.).
  • Graphite is used as raw material for manufacturing smelting crucibles, liner plates and antistick paints in casting industry; solid lubricators, plastic fillers and one of the basic components in production of cores for black graphite pencils (mixed with kaolin).

Special types of crushing equipment used for extraction of mineral raw materials

Apart from rotor-type crushers and general purpose impactors, there are used special types of crushing equipment for extraction of mineral raw materials.

Auger toothed crushers are used for crushing coal, clean rock and ferroalloys.
Auger toothed crushers are used for crushing coal, clean rock and ferroalloys.
Vertical hammer grinders are used for procession of chrisotile asbestos and in production of asbestos fiber.
Vertical hammer grinders are used for procession of chrisotile asbestos and in production of asbestos fiber.
Self-cleansing hammer grinders are used for procession of clay rock.
Self-cleansing hammer grinders are used for procession of clay rock.

Extraction of ore mineral resources.

Jaw crushers and gyratory cone breakers, as well as bar and ball mills are traditionally used for extraction of ore mineral resources which are mainly exist as hard rock with low content of valuable elements and correspondently require big amounts of rock mass to be processed.

However, impact method of crushing rock has an enormous reserve for increasing efficiency of mineral processing equipment, increasing quality of end product, reducing energy and material consumption during treatment processes.
Such rotor-type grinding equipment as impactors (including vertical shaft impactors) comes into use in the processing of ore minerals.

Impactors crash minerals by means of free impact of the material against baffle surface. This crushing method is characterized by:

  • Destruction of minerals by micro cracks and cleaving edges which sufficiently increases crushing efficiency;
  • Products are not overgrinded or sludged, which is typical for grinding in ball mills. Better grain release is achieved together with coarser grind in comparison with ball mills.

From the point of view of design, impactors allow to form a cushion of grinded mineral at the impact plates (see Picture 1) which protects them from wear, on the one side, and enables grinding with the most efficient method “rock against rock” instead of less efficient “rock against metal”.

Material movement diagram in the crushing chamber of an impactor
Figure 1. Material movement diagram in the crushing chamber of an impactor
A shot of an impactor crushing chamber with spin blades and without a removable wheel
Figure 2. A shot of an impactor crushing chamber with spin blades and without a removable wheel
An external view: impactor without spin blades
Figure 3. An external view: impactor without spin blades
Legend to Figures: 1 – Spin blades, 2 – Unloading table; 3 – Impact plates; 4 – Removable wheel; 5 – Cushion of crushed rock