en.Wedoany.com Reported - Brazilian iron ore mining giant Vale has successfully installed and commissioned a large semi-mobile crushing station from FLSmidth (Project No. 20BEBK010) at Mine 5 of its S11D (Serra Sul) iron ore project in Canaã dos Carajás, Pará. The project aims to open a new mining area in the deposit, consolidating an operational model based on In-Pit Crushing and Conveying (IPCC).
The crushing station consists of four main modules. The first module is 26 meters high and includes a 250-ton hopper and a 205-ton grizzly screen; the second module is 14 meters high, weighs 390 tons, and is equipped with an 11-meter, 2 x 370 kW apron feeder; the third module weighs 434 tons and houses a large ABON® sizer with a 2 x 800 kW drive unit, capable of handling 11,500 tons per hour; the fourth module is a 64-meter, 2,400 mm wide connecting conveyor weighing 411 tons, which feeds the main pit conveyor. The sizer alone weighs over 270 tons and is an ABON® 16/400CHDTD-RA model. Including structural steel, the total weight of the crushing station is nearly 1,600 tons. Construction took place in 2024, and commissioning was completed in 2025.
Anderson Gomes, General Manager of Capital Projects at Vale S11D, told International Mining (IM) that the project placed a strong emphasis on modularity from the engineering design stage. By splitting the crushing station into four modules—the hopper with grizzly screen, apron feeder, sizer, and sacrificial conveyor—a high level of pre-assembly was achieved, reducing on-site installation interfaces, lowering civil engineering requirements, and accelerating the implementation schedule. This modular approach also facilitates future relocation of the crushing station as the mining face advances. Pre-assembly of the metal structures was carried out by MIP Engenharia, while Transdata Engenharia e Movimentação used SPMTs to move the modules into their final positions.
Regarding the choice of a large sizer over a gyratory crusher, Gomes explained that after technical evaluation, the ABON® 16/400CHDTD-RA sizer was selected because it is suitable for the semi-mobile concept and the specific characteristics of the S11D ore. Compared to traditional gyratory crushers, this sizer combines low speed, high torque, and a specific tooth profile to achieve the desired product size with minimal fines generation, while extending the life of wear parts. The low operating speed also reduces vibration and dynamic loads, thereby simplifying infrastructure. This technology has been applied globally across different mining sectors for decades, including iron ore, copper, nickel, limestone, and alumina. Since commissioning, the crushing station has demonstrated stable performance, with a nominal capacity of 9,500 tons per hour and recorded peak operating capacity of up to 11,500 tons per hour, effectively integrating into S11D's truckless system.
Gomes also noted that the project reflects the long-term partnership between Vale and FLSmidth, with close collaboration in engineering, customized solutions, and asset lifecycle performance. Throughout the equipment's lifecycle, practices related to the recovery, reuse, and recycling of metal components have been incorporated into the project and routine maintenance to reduce the environmental impact associated with manufacturing and on-site interventions.
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