Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/370990
Better breakers for mining applications B reakers are powerful, versatile, and ef- fi cient — crucial equipment for a mining or aggregates operation. Whether it is a hydraulic or gas-fi red breaker, the a achment is a highly eff ective tool for sizing large aggregates; however, with the new and evolving technology, hydraulic breaker users should regularly update their knowledge and understand what's on the market. Regardless of the breaker type (hydraulic or gas-fi red), at the end of the day the most important statistic is how much material can be produced. Breakers are most commonly used in quarry or mining applications to break oversized boulders. Typically, either through blasting or chipping, these large rock formations will be created. However, in or- der to achieve a size that is suitable for a crusher, the rocks must be made smaller; this is where a hydraulic breaker comes into play. A er a process such as blasting, large aggregates are created and a wheel loader (or similar machine) is brought in to collect and load what it can for transport to the crusher. For pieces that are too large to transport, however, an operator will windrow the remaining material and use a hydraulic breaker to size the remaining aggregate for the crusher. Breaker selection Before heading to the quarry or mine, hydraulic breakers should be properly matched to the carrier and tested for compatibility. To ensure a proper breaker-carrier match, a fl ow test should be done on the excavator before adding the breaker; this test should be done at the dealership before the rig heads Engineering advancements increase operator efficiency, safety. Hydraulic breakers should be properly sized for the carrier. 23 AGGREGATES MANAGER September 2014 EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT