Cinnabar mining in Morton, WA, involves extracting mercury-rich ore, which requires specialized crushing and grinding equipment to minimize environmental risks. A tailored sand and aggregate production line can repurpose waste rock into usable construction materials.
The primary crusher (jaw crusher) reduces large cinnabar ore chunks to 150mm. A secondary cone crusher further processes the material to 20-40mm. For sand production, a VSI crusher achieves 0-5mm fineness. Key equipment parameters:
| Equipment | Model Example | Capacity (t/h) | Output Size (mm) |
|——————–|—————|—————-|——————|
| Jaw Crusher | PE600×900 | 50-120 | 150 |
| Cone Crusher | CS160 | 30-90 | 20-40 |
| VSI Crusher | B9100SE | 50-250 | 0-5 |
A high-frequency dewatering screen and spiral classifier remove fine particles. Activated carbon filters capture residual mercury vapor during processing.
Q: How is mercury contamination prevented?
A: Sealed conveyors, wet dust suppression, and HEPA filtration systems are employed.
Q: Can waste rock be fully recycled?
A: Up to 85% can be repurposed as road base or concrete aggregate after stabilization.
A Morton-based project processed 200t/day of cinnabar tailings into ASTM-certified sand using:
1. Two-stage crushing
2. VSI shaping
3. Chemical stabilization
The plant achieved 92% mercury containment while producing commercial-grade construction sand.
