Environmental restrictions are tightening on sand mining around the world, but Magotteaux’s vertical shaft impact is providing an alternative.
While at first, sand might sound like a plentiful resource – that couldn’t be more wrong.
Some sands are better than others, with attributes that make them more useful for things like concrete and beach nourishment.
In the European Union (EU), mining for sand is subject to numerous environmental regulations and impact assessments. However, according to the EU’s Directorate-General for Environment, sand is so valuable that “sand mafias” have sprung up to protect illegal sand mining.
While Australia’s industry has not gotten to this stage, some companies are beginning looking for alternatives.
Patrick Croix, business development manager at Magotteaux said it is becoming harder around the world to get approval for sand mining.
“The sourcing of materials in the future will move from natural resources to the cities,” Croix said.
“This is the future, we believe in Europe that from 2050, the material sourcing for highways and buildings will become more from old buildings and roads.
“And there will be a trend in countries who are looking into the circular economy to look to preserve the environment and use what is there.”
While Magotteaux has mainly made its name in Europe, working with major brands across the continent, the brand’s vertical shaft impactor, the Mag’Impact can easily have applications for the Australian market.
It has grown into a company that today has more than 3000 employees, 28 sales offices and an annual turnover of $1 billion globally since it began in 1918.
The company, which started in Belgium as a foundry, is recognised in the industry for its differentiated solutions across wear with patented ceramic technology.
The Mag’Impact traditionally comes in three sizes – 2700, 2400, 2100 with the 2100 available in a specific manufactured sand model – and all the units can crush and shape in a single pass and be retrofitted onto installations. With this ability it can replace a tertiary cone and quaternary VSI with just one tertiary Mag’Impact. This has reduced up-front costs as well as the associated costs with maintenance and repairs in the long run.
“We produce and sell a real crusher, and it would be hard to find a VSI doing that as successfully worldwide, with the ability to accept big feed size and abrasive stone,” Croix said.
The ability to provide a specific focus on sand is important given the high-level of shaping which is required to get the acceptable grade of this material.
Given the future trends towards sustainable extracting and manufactured aggregates, the Mag’Impact’s versatility would be a useful addition to an Australian site.
“It’s not just about the quantity but also the quality of what you produce, for example, when you’re producing concrete you desire a stable output sieve,” Croix said.
“What we’re finding is customers are appreciating the stable output sieve for sand and at the correct specification”.
Magotteaux’s team is trained to provide expert advice, services and resources, products, equipment, and systems to find the best solution to optimise a site’s applications.
Australian companies have benefitted from this optimised technology. Magotteaux account manager Darren Bowley said one company managed to double the life of its hammers.
Most of the units working throughout Europe in the past 20 years or so are in fixed plant applications. These can be mounted onto tracks or semi-mobile platforms.
Bowley said the Mag’Impact is a versatile crusher with high capability and European quality.
“It is a highly flexible crusher that could be changed out to suit other configurations if required.”
In addition to sand production the Mag’Impact can be used for Crushing hard and abrasive rocks, such as gravel, limestone and blast furnace slag for roads, concrete, and more •
For more information, visit magotteaux.com
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