Roll Crusher Reduces Over-Crushing and Boosts Gold Recovery at a Quartz Vein Gold Mine
River pebbles, calcite, quartz stone, marble, cobblestone, bentonite, iron ore, bluestone, mountain rock, water slag, limestone, weathered sand, diabase, granite, basalt, silicon carbide, emery, sintered bauxite, magnesia, etc.
- Feed size:40-120mm
- Productive capacity:20-400t/h
Application:Highways, high-speed railways, high-rise buildings, municipal engineering, hydroelectric dam construction, concrete batching plants, sand and gravel yards,gold ore
Achieving 5.2% Higher Gold Recovery and 35% Lower Crushing Energy Costs
The Challenge: Cone Crusher Over-Crushing Was Reducing Gold Recovery
A mid-tier gold producer operating a conventional crushing-grinding-CIP circuit faced a persistent problem in the tertiary crushing stage. The existing cone crusher, running in closed circuit with a vibrating screen, was generating excessive fine particles (-1mm) that directly reduced gold recovery.
double roll crusher
The Problem in Detail
| Operational Issue | Impact on Operation |
|---|---|
| High fines generation (28–32% at -1mm) | Coarse gold slimed before gravity/CIP recovery |
| Clay zones caused screen blinding | Circulating load unstable, throughput reduced |
| Fluctuating product size | Ball mill feed inconsistent, higher grinding energy |
| High energy consumption | 1.1–1.3 kWh/t at tertiary stage |
| Frequent maintenance | Bowl liner changes, cavity clearing in wet zones |
The Solution: Hydraulic Roll Crusher for Tertiary Crushing
The mine replaced the cone crusher with a 2PGY1200×1000 Hydraulic Roll Crusher configured for 8mm closed-side setting in closed circuit with the existing screen.
Why the Roll Crusher Was Selected
| Selection Criteria | Roll Crusher | Cone Crusher (Previous) |
|---|---|---|
| Fines generation (-1mm) | <15% | 28–32% |
| Product shape | Cubical, uniform | Variable, flaky |
| Clay handling | No clogging, scrapers clean rolls | Screen blinding, cavity packing |
| Energy consumption | 0.5–0.7 kWh/t | 1.1–1.3 kWh/t |
| Gold particle protection | Gentle compression | Impact/attrition deforms gold |
| Maintenance | On-site roll re-hardfacing | Workshop liner replacement |
Results: Quantified Time and Money Benefits
Key Performance Indicators — Before vs. After
| Metric | Cone Crusher | Roll Crusher | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fines generation (-1mm) | 30% | 12% | -60% |
| Overall gold recovery | 85.3% | 90.5% | +5.2% |
| Crushing energy consumption | 1.2 kWh/t | 0.6 kWh/t | -50% |
| Ball mill throughput | 92 t/h | 105 t/h | +14% |
| Screen blinding incidents (weekly) | 3–5 | 0 | Eliminated |
| Crushing circuit availability | 82% | 94% | +12% |
| Maintenance downtime (monthly) | 6 hours | 2 hours | -67% |
Time Benefits — Why the Roll Crusher Saves Valuable Operating Hours
| Time Dimension | Cone Crusher (Before) | Roll Crusher (After) | Annual Time Saved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unplanned downtime (clay clogging) | 2–3 hours/week | 0 hours/week | ~120 hours/year |
| Screen cleaning | 1 hour/day | 0 hours/day | ~365 hours/year |
| Maintenance (liner changes vs. re-hardfacing) | 8 hours/change × 6 changes | 4 hours/repair × 2 repairs | ~40 hours/year |
| Total annual productive time gain | — | — | ~525 hours |
525 additional production hours per year translates directly into more ore processed and more gold poured — without any increase in operating crew size.
Key Takeaways: Why the Roll Crusher Wins on Time and Money
| Advantage | Time Impact | Money Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 60% fewer fines | Less screen cleaning, less thickener upsets | Higher gold recovery, lower reagent costs |
| No clay clogging | Eliminates unplanned downtime | Avoids lost production hours |
| 50% lower energy use | — | Direct power bill reduction |
| Uniform feed to mill | Stable operation, no tuning time | Higher throughput, lower grinding cost |
| Simple on-site maintenance | Hours vs. days for liner changes | Lower parts and labor costs |
| Higher availability (94% vs. 82%) | More production hours per year | More gold produced |
About Guangzhou Apex Machinery Co., Ltd
Guangzhou Apex Machinery Co., Ltd manufactures roll crushers engineered for the mining industry. Our equipment solves the most common crushing problems — over-crushing, clay clogging, high energy consumption, and unstable product size — delivering measurable improvements in recovery, throughput, and profitability.
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