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what to consider when buying mining equipment
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11 Considerations When Buying Mining Equipment

 by General Kinematics,

When it comes to buying the right equipment for your mining operation, there are a number of factors to consider. From your budget to the size of your operation and beyond, it’s important to do the research so you install the equipment that is going to help your operation thrive.

But you’ve likely already considered your budget and the type of equipment you need. To ensure you consider all facets of your mining equipment investment, however, here is a list of 11 considerations to keep in mind.

1. Unit Location

This is, unfortunately, one of the elements that don’t get considered until later in the purchasing process. But when you consider your facility or mining location, the space you have to work with, and the condition of the unit’s future location, you ensure that you buy equipment that properly sized, properly equipped, and able to be installed. Innovative mining equipment is more compact than ever, so it makes it a lot easier to streamline installation.

2. Inclines and Declines

Along with the location of your equipment, you should also consider the topography of your extraction, processing, or final product removal. If there is an incline or decline, you’ll need conveyor belts and vibratory feeders that can handle addition friction and have steadier speeds. Ask for materials that will fit in your specific topography, rather than trying to retrofit something.

3. Screen Sizes and Set-up

Without the right screens, your mining operation would not be able to extract the amount of material you need to turn a profit. While the set-up of your entire feeding and vibratory system matter, the size and set-up of your screens matter most. Particle size can have a significant impact on the flowability of the material, and you should work with a manufacturer that can create a set-up that allows materials to flow smoothly. Work with a manufacturer who is willing to create a custom screen set-up.

4. Feeders and Conveyor Belts

Feeders and conveyor belts are necessary for moving and controlling material flow within a mining operation. Not only do they facilitate efficient operation, but better feeders and higher quality conveyor belt systems can increase processing rates and yields. Choosing feeders and conveyors belts designed specifically for mining uses is critical to ensure a seamless flow.

5. Material Activation

Feeding and activating material is one of the primary functions of many mining processes. Properly controlling material flow ensures that downstream processing equipment receives the correct amount of material at the appropriate rate. An essential part of the material activation process, you need equipment that is not only rugged and able to handle the demanding environment, but dependable and requires little maintenance.

6. Efficiency

Modern mining equipment offers better output than older (or used) models, as well as better rates and yields. The ability for units to extract minerals with less energy per revolution reduces the overall cost of the machinery, which increases your ROI over the long run. On top of that, the use of vibration, in combination with grinding media, significantly increases the number of material impacts per minute, decreasing extraction time and creating a more desirable fractured product. The ability to extract ore and minerals quicker allows units to process material more efficiently than older units, so retention time required to extract material is significantly reduced. When looking for equipment, look at energy per revolution, impacts per minute, extraction time, and so forth.

7. Reliability

It’s a universal truth: some equipment is just less reliable than others. Especially if you’re trying to cut costs or retrofit a mining solution, you may find your mining operations being stalled more often than not. Choosing mining equipment with parts designed specifically for your operation and with exceptional ratings is the best way to get returns on your investment.

8. Moisture and Humidity

Heavy duty, weather resistant equipment is still necessary to extract, transport, and process minerals, ores, and precious metals from soil, sand, and rock. And while not all mining locations or materials have moist environments, some do. Because moisture can impact the effectiveness of your equipment, as well as shorten its lifespan (if not properly maintained), you should consider properly rated equipment.

9. Material Retention

If you’re mining materials that are looser in density or have more a fine-grain texture, you’ll need equipment that isn’t just built for heavier weights and more “solid” objects. This will ensure you retain maximum amounts of your extracted materials, as well as prevent contamination.

10. Worker Safety

Modern mining equipment is exponentially safer than a horse, cart, and pick back in the Gold Rush days, but that doesn’t mean that all equipment is 100% safe. Depending on the materials you’re retrieving and processing, you may have more manpower “on the ground.” Choose equipment that reduces dusting and toxic byproducts, and has safety features like emergency shutoffs and blockage detectors.

11. Manufacturers With Mining Expertise

To get truly exceptional mining equipment that you can trust with your operation, you need to work with a proven mining equipment manufacturer.

For over fifty years, General Kinematics has led the mining, minerals, and aggregate industry in our innovation of vibratory and vibrating process equipment. Our proven track record as mining equipment manufacturers and suppliers can be found in our extensive vibratory installation base of over 40,000 units in 35 countries. GK stands behind all our vibrating mining equipment, with unmatched after-sales service and support throughout our global network.

Browse our selection of mining equipment to find the unit that will best suit your application needs or solve your process challenges.

General Kinematics Corporation, incorporated in 1960, was established to market, design, and custom fabricate innovative vibratory equipment for the foundry, recycling, mining, and processing industries. Today the company continues as one of the world’s largest suppliers of vibratory processing equipment and has evolved into an industry-leading EPC firm. Headquartered in Crystal Lake, IL, General Kinematics has seven global locations providing engineering and support to a world-wide customer base. GK is a third generation, family-owned company and is ISO 9001 certified.