The first MP2500 cone crusher will be operational at First Quantum Minerals Ltd Sentinel mine in Zambia early 2015.
The global mining industry is striving to develop more energy and cost efficient technologies for minerals processing. As ore grades decline, more and more ore needs to be processed to obtain the same amount of the valuable mineral and to meet production targets. This equation often results in increased processing costs and can prove problematic for miners.
Metso is responding to the customer challenge by developing larger and more energy efficient equipment for minerals processing.
One result of this work, the world's largest cone crushers, the MP2500, will be shipped to First Quantum Minerals Ltd (FQML) Sentinel Mine in Zambia. The crushers will be fully operational in early 2015. The crusher order, worth more than EUR 10 million, was booked in Metso's orders received in Q1 2013.
Efficient crushing saves energy
The MP2500 was selected for Sentinel because it can process large volumes of rock as single machine. It saves costs as fewer crushers, related infrastructure and maintenance are needed for achieving the same or increased amount of production.
Because the MP2500 crusher has the largest feed opening ever made, it can crush bigger chunks of rock. Its ability to crush rock further than the traditional crushers decreases energy consumption in the later parts of the process.
The MP2500 cone crusher is designed for use in secondary and tertiary crushing. It links easily with other Metso products to create a simplified, cost effective process flow for high production sites. Larger equipment reduces the number of crushers to install since there is more throughput from each crusher. To duplicate the performance of two (2) MP2500's would require four (4) smaller MP1250's and all associated infrastructure.
Less equipment leads to improved safety
The development of the MP2500 cone crusher resulted in innovations in the area of health and safety, many based on discussions with FQML. The most important result is based on the fact that there is less equipment installed at the mine site thus generating less need for maintenance and limiting the number of times personnel has to conduct work at any single equipment.
Serviceability and ease of maintenance was also a focus during the design. Since the part was so large, Metso developed a new method to remove the socket which eliminates heating of the part in a difficult working space. This method also eliminates process variables associated with socket removal and reduces the overall stress on both the socket and main shaft. Metso has a patent pending for this new concept. Metso also refined the existing jackbolt locknut design to reduce the amount of manual work and replaced it with hydraulics to simplify the same work.
Metso is assisting Sentinel mine to guarantee the efficient operation of the new MP2500 by stationing full-time field service engineers on-site for one year after commissioning and by stocking critical spare parts in Metso's distribution center in South Africa as well on-site.
First Quantum Minerals Ltd. is an established and rapidly growing mining and metals company operating seven mines and developing five projects worldwide, currently producing copper, nickel, gold, zinc, and platinum group elements. In addition, FQML is developing projects in Zambia, Panama and Peru that when complete, will increase their annual copper production capacity to more than 1.3 million tonnes per annum.
About Metso
Metso is a leading process performance provider, with customers in the mining, oil and gas, and aggregates industries. Metso's cutting-edge services and solutions improve availability and reliability in minerals processing and flow control, providing sustainable process and profit improvements. Metso is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki, Finland. In 2013, Metso's net sales totaled EUR 3.8 billion. Metso employs approximately 16,000 industry experts in 50 countries. Expect results.