Mobile crushing offers competitive output

A mobile crushing solution at an Argentine quarry is said to increase production by 100%

Caminos del Mercosur found success in the mid-1990s supplying crushed rock for the construction of new roads.

Recently the company has enhanced its reputation as an innovator in aggregates production and supply through the adoption of tracked crushing technology.

Based in Posadas, Misiones, Argentina, it says it has modernised its production capabilities through investing in a modern, mobile crusher, the 325 Sandvik supplied QJ341, which has allowed it to increase production by 100%.

Family-owned Caminos del Mercosur was founded in 1996 by Eduardo Bogado, and the family, and specifically Eduardo, has a long association with the quarrying industry, being able to call on many years of industry experience in order to supply crushed rock and aggregate for use within the construction industry.

From its inception the company was quick to take advantage of the opportunities offered by infrastructure projects that were undertaken in Argentina during the mid-1990s, and this experience enabled Caminos to become the supplier of crushed rock to the contractor working on the construction of the Route 12 highway when its quarry was equipped with stationary crushing and screening equipment, which was able to produce between 3,000-5,000tonnes/month.

As the demand for aggregates grew, Bogado invested in more stationary equipment, which resulted in an increased capacity of 20,000tonnes/month to ensure it became one of the principal suppliers of crushed rock and aggregates in the area.
While able to satisfy the demands for aggregates locally, Caminos del Mercosur soon found its market being restricted, due mainly to the transportation costs of the crushed rock, which were making the final price of the supplied aggregate too expensive to be competitive. Many prospective clients from further afield were finding it more economical to source crushed rock and aggregate locally, and Caminos’ client base was consequently limited to construction companies operating in the local area.

Eduardo Bogado decided to adopt a radical solution and buy a tracked jaw crusher, which he became aware of at 3485 Conexpo 1999 when he visited the Extec (subsequently acquired by Sandvik in 2007) stand. The crushers and screens seen on the Extec stand could be moved within the quarry; transported on roads using a low loader and could start operating almost immediately on arrival at site with no need for time consuming set-up.

When his business requirements changed, Bogado sought out the type of machinery he had seen at ConExpo, and acting on a recommendation, he invested in a QJ341 mobile jaw crusher from Sandvik (the latest development based on the Extec C12 crusher he had seen previously). 

With a jaw opening of 1,200mm x 750mm and a production capacity of up to 400tonnes/hour (depending on multiple variables), the crusher is said to be designed for ease of operation through utilising such features as hydraulically adjustable CSS (closed side setting); high reduction ratios-crushing speed-productivity; reverse crushing action to relieve blockages plus an automatic central lubrication system.

The model purchased by Caminos encompasses new features that ensure continuous, uninterrupted crushing, plus enhanced operator safety including a load control system for the feeder drive; level sensor fitted to the jaw and speed wheel fitted to the main conveyor. A key design change included on the QJ341 enables the main conveyor being fitted with a hydraulic raise and lower facility allowing increased magnet clearance, together with easier transportation.

“I chose Sandvik because of the good communication and technical advice given before the purchase of the machine. Having this mobile crusher will allow us to increase production by 100% compared to the stationary equipment we owned before, and will position us more competitively for supplying customers located at a great distance from our quarry,” says Eduardo Bogado.
Caminos del Mercosur says the QJ341 is

an ideal crusher when crushing rock to be turned into aggregate, but has proved to be equally effective on concrete, rebar, as well as bricks or asphalt in a demolition/recycling environment.