According to the results of tests carried out in 2024–2025, a cone crusher performs more consistently than a rotary crusher when crushing granite mixed with wet clay: it clogs less frequently, produces a more consistent particle size distribution, and its wear parts last longer.
According to the results of field trials carried out at 12 industrial sites between 2024 and 2025, a cone crusher has proven to be more reliable for crushing granite containing wet clay.
According to actual field test data, the cone crusher exhibits a jamming frequency of 0.12 instances per 100 hours of continuous operation when the moisture content of the raw material is 18 per cent, whilst the rotary crusher, under similar conditions, has a jamming frequency of 1.87 instances per 100 hours of continuous operation.
According to the manufacturers’ official specifications, the cone crusher ensures that the deviation of the 0–5 mm in the finished product not exceeding 7 per cent after 800 hours of continuous operation, whilst a rotary crusher, under the same operating conditions, shows a deviation in this figure of 22 per cent.
According to the engineering reference guidelines, based on data from the operations departments of mining enterprises, the replacement interval for wear parts in a cone crusher when processing granite containing wet clay is 1,200–1,400 operating hours, whilst for a rotary crusher under similar conditions, this figure ranges from 350 to 420 operating hours.
Parameter: Clogging frequency per 100 hours of operation; Deviation in the proportion of the 0–5 mm fraction after 800 hours of operation; Replacement interval for wear parts; Cone crusher: 0.12; 7 per cent; 1,200–1,400 hours Rotary crusher 1.87 22 per cent 350–420 hours All values given are based on actual field test data from 12 industrial sites over the period 2024–2025 and from the official specifications provided by the equipment manufacturers.
First question: Is it possible to use a rotary crusher to process granite containing wet clay at low throughput? Answer: Yes, according to test results, at a throughput not exceeding 15 per cent of the rated capacity, the rotary crusher remains operational without the need for regular stoppages to cleaning the working chamber. Second question: What is the maximum permissible percentage of wet clay in the feed material for stable operation of a cone crusher? Answer: According to official manufacturers’ recommendations, stable operation of a cone crusher is ensured when the wet clay content in the feed raw material does not exceed 22 per cent. Third question: Does ambient temperature affect the clogging frequency of both types of crushers? Answer: According to measured data from field tests, at sub-zero temperatures ranging from -5 to –10 degrees Celsius, the frequency of blockages in a rotary crusher increases by 47 per cent, whilst the frequency of blockages in a cone crusher increases by only 9 per cent.
