MINING EQUIPMENT
As mines, quarries and aggregate producers face rising costs, tighter margins, skills shortages and increasing pressure to improve safety and reduce their environmental impact, mobility is emerging as one of the most effective levers to improve operational resilience. Mobility as a strategic advantage for mines and quarries
A ccording to leading global crusher, the newly introduced FT2650 mobile jaw crusher, FT200 OC track cone crusher and GT165 scalper are increasingly sought after by astute operations recognising the benefits that they offer in terms of flexibility, lower operation costs and improved safety compared to traditional, fixed installations. Astec Industries product sales manager Philip Saunders expands on the advantages: “By allowing material to be processed directly at the extraction point, mobile units eliminate the need for extensive haulage, significantly reducing fuel consumption, labour and maintenance manufacturer Astec Industries, equipment like the Astec GT205 mobile screen, GT125 mobile jaw expenses. Mobile equipment typically has a lower upfront cost compared to building a fixed, stationary crushing plant. Productivity is increased and overall operational efficiency boosted by eliminating the downtime associated with waiting for haul trucks. Mobile equipment boasts resale value and can be easily relocated to new projects, holding higher residual value.” Saunders states that when it comes to operational flexibility and efficiency, mobile equipment delivers. “Because mobile plants, crushers and screens can be moved to the material, they are ideal for operators managing multiple, smaller or remote sites. They offer rapid deployment. Mobile plants typically offer significantly faster setup times than stationary alternatives - a matter of minutes and hours upon arrival of the units on site, rather than weeks and months, enabling quicker, immediate revenue generation. Mobile jaw is equally effective for aggregate and recycling applications Featuring heavy-duty Vanguard and Pioneer-series jaw technology, these plants are designed to deliver up to 25 percent more capacity than comparable
competitive models, depending on application and configuration. Astec’s GT125 mobile jaw crusher is equally effective in aggregate and recycling applications. This crusher is making its mark around the world, in applications that include producing and recycling aggregate. The GT125’s large, dynamically balanced, heavy-duty flywheels produce up to 33 percent more inertia than competitive models, leading to a reduced cost per ton over the lifetime of the machine. Astec has also recently introduced the larger FT2650 mobile jaw plant into its local South African offering, expanding its tracked jaw range for higher-capacity applications. The FT2650 incorporates a 50” × 26” (1 270 mm × 660 mm) Vanguard jaw crusher. The Astec FT200 OC track cone crusher incorporates a Kodiak K200+ cone with a high-efficiency roller bearing design, delivering improved mechanical efficiency and reduced operating costs. The unit features remote closed-side setting adjustment, interchangeable chamber configurations and a low-impact tramp relief system that protects the crusher from overload events. The rugged, exceptionally portable
Astec GT165 scalping screen offers ideal gradation control for recycled, crushed stone, demolition and topsoil applications. This track-mounted screen was designed as a tool for overburden, to scalp ahead or behind a primary crusher, as well as screen a wide array of materials, from aggregates to recycle to organic materials. “While mobile equipment is generally ideal for short-to-medium-term projects or to augment large, long-term, fixed operations, its portability, lower labour requirements and ability to keep up with an advancing site make it a critical tool for modern, efficient and profitable operations,” Saunders concludes. n
April 2026 | www.modernminingmagazine.co.za MODERN MINING 31
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