The cone crusher in the gold mining process is used to break down ore that has been excavated from drilling and blasting operations. The cone crusher is a vital piece of equipment that reduces ore size so that it can later be screened, to eliminate waste material and ensure uniformity. To adequately crush the feedstock, ore passes between two vertical solid metal plates that apply enough pressure to fracture the material. The fractured ore deposits are subsequently transported to the processing plant to be further cleaned and separated.
Despite the toughness of this equipment, over time, the cone crusher can undergo abrasive wear due to handling a high volume of ore and rock. The mine must replace components of the equipment regularly in order to maintain infrastructural integrity.
Problem
The interior metal plates of a cone crusher needed replacement due to consistent abrasive wear. After replacing the interior metal plates, significant gaps existed between the panels and an adequate sealant was needed to maintain the equipment specifications.
Previously, the mine had utilized Plaster of Paris as a sealant but ran into problems with the strength and the ultimate cost effectiveness. The customer was looking for a long-lasting, high strength, cost-effective system that could be seamlessly applied between the interior cone crusher plates.
Solution
Devcon Concave Sealer was chosen for its ability to outperform the competitor product in long-term, high strength performance.
- For optimal surface preparation, the interior metal plates of the cone crusher were cleaned to eliminate all grease, and oil contaminants.
- After surface preparation was complete, the plant maintenance staff inserted the Devcon Concave Sealer cartridges into caulking guns to dispense the adhesive between metal plate gaps.
Once applied, the Devcon Concave Sealer cures within 45 minutes. A Backing Compound was then applied behind the cone crusher plates to secure an optimal seal to the metal.
Project Outcome:
High Strength Coating
Devcon Concave Sealer provided the required high strength bonding between the interior plates of the equipment, effectively increasing the life cycle of the cone crusher. This helped increase equipment uptime and decrease maintenance repair time.
Ease of Installation
Previously using Plaster of Paris as a low-cost sealant, this gold mine was looking for a product solution that was longer lasting, effective, and applied by a simple installation process. With Devcon Concave Sealer, the system did not require hand mixing and was seamlessly dispensed with a caulking gun. Exceeding customer expectations and streamlining the application process, Devcon Concave Sealer will now be utilized by this gold mine for future repair projects.