Concasseur de basalte pour concassage de pierres en carrière

Crushing Process Overview for Basalt

Crushing basalt is more challenging than working with softer materials due to its high hardness (6–7 on the Mohs scale) and density. As a result, a multi-stage crushing process is essential to ensure efficient production, consistent particle sizes, and quality aggregate shapes suitable for various applications.

Stage 1: Coarse Crushing

The first step in basalt crushing is coarse crushing, where the mined rock is reduced to manageable sizes. This stage typically employs jaw crushers, which are ideal for handling large, hard materials.

Objective: Break large chunks of basalt (500–1000 mm) into smaller fragments (100–300 mm).

Importance: A proper first stage ensures downstream crushers operate efficiently and reduces wear on secondary equipment.

Stage 2: Medium and Fine Crushing

The intermediate stage involves reducing the material further into aggregates suitable for construction use. Cone crushers are most commonly used here.

Objective: Crush material from 100–300 mm down to 10–50 mm, depending on specifications.

Importance: High-quality grain shape and consistent gradation are key for road base and concrete aggregates.

Sometimes, impact crushers are used in this stage when specific shaping is desired, especially in concrete aggregate production, though they are less preferred due to rapid wear when dealing with hard basalt.

Stage 3: Sand Making and Shaping (Optional)

If the final product includes manufactured sand or ultra-fine aggregates, a tertiary stage is added using VSI (Vertical Shaft Impact) crushers.

Objective: Produce sand-sized particles (<5 mm) and enhance aggregate shape.

Importance: Particle shape affects workability and strength in concrete and asphalt. Good cubicity is often a requirement in modern applications.

This stage often includes screening and washing to separate fine particles and remove dust or unwanted fractions.

Types of Basalt Crushers Used in Quarries

Several types of crushers are used in basalt quarries, each serving a specific role in the crushing sequence. The choice of crusher depends on the application, desired output size, plant capacity, and mobility requirements.

Jaw Crushers

Function: Initial reduction of large basalt boulders.

Best Use: Fixed or semi-mobile plants requiring coarse size reduction.

Cone Crushers

Function: Reduce material to smaller sizes with excellent shape.

Types:

Standard cone for secondary crushing

Short-head cone for finer products

Best Use: Medium to large plants targeting high-quality aggregates.

Impact Crushers

Function: Crush and shape particles.

Best Use: Specific shaping tasks or small-volume operations.

Mobile Crushers

Function: Bring crushing directly to the excavation site.

Best Use: Remote sites, temporary projects, or where flexibility is a priority.

VSI (Vertical Shaft Impact) Crushers

Function: Create high-quality, well-shaped fine aggregates.

Best Use: Final stage in high-spec aggregate production.

Case Studies and Applications

Large-Scale Basalt Quarry with Fixed Plant

Challenge: Meet regional infrastructure demand with consistent high-quality basalt aggregates for asphalt and concrete.

Outcome:

• Consistent aggregate sizes (0–5 mm, 5–20 mm, 20–40 mm)
• Excellent grain shape, especially important for high-performance concrete
• Low maintenance costs due to efficient layout and wear part management

Mobile Crushing Setup in a Remote Quarry

Challenge: Difficult terrain and long transport distances made fixed plant unfeasible.

Outcome:

• Reduced transport costs by processing material on-site
• Rapid setup and teardown between project phases
• Enabled supply of basalt aggregates to nearby infrastructure projects without delay