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Tarmac Shireoaks Quarry Up And Running!

Powerscreen Washing Systems have recently installed a new sand plant at Tarmac’s Shire Oaks Quarry, near Walsall. Previously the company processed the sand and gravel deposit through an old conventional static plant, their decision to choose a Powerscreen sand plant was based on the company’s success with similar contracts throughout the industry.

The deposit at Shire Oaks is significantly bunter sand, the material being split 50/50 between sand and gravel, the sand being very fine with 30% typically passing the 300um sieve and silt accounting for 7% of the raw material.

Powerscreen Washing having considerable experience in processing similar materials supplied a plant which has the capacity to produce 150tph in addition to recirculated material from the crusher.

The plant utilises the Fines Master 120; with its combination of bucket wheel and twin hydro cyclone sand recovery system this machine ensures that fine sand losses to the ponds will be minimised thus maximising production.

Sand and gravel is extracted from the face by loading shovel which deposits the material into the feed hopper of the primary Powerscreen Commander, this material is then fed up an inclined conveyor onto the primary screen.

A Powerscreen Commander 1400 12 x 5 two-deck full rinser washes the material and produces an 0-3mm and 0-6mm sand (through a split bottom deck), a midsize 6-20mm and an oversize +20mm.

Sand slurries are piped to the Powerscreen Finesmaster 120; these are dewatered, the fines recovered and stockpiled utilising two T5032 conveyors.

Oversize product is then fed from the screen to the in-line Pegson 900 Autocone crusher and this crushed material is recirculated via a T5032 conveyor which feeds onto the conveyor of the primary Commander.

Midsize material from the primary screen is scrubbed to remove any remaining clay in the Powerscreen Powerscrub 120R, any wood contaminates floating off via the sieve bends at the rear. Stone from the Powerscrub is then fed to the secondary screen, a Commander 1400 12 x 5 two-deck part rinser where it is rinsed and graded to the required 10 and 20mm products.

This second screen produces two products from a two deck box ensuring the material from both the top and bottom goes to the 20-5mm product. The bottom deck provides the 10mm product; to ensure some overrun a variety of modular mats are used on both decks to bring the 20-5mm within the required specification.

The Powerscreen wash plant is now producing four grades of high quality clean aggregate: a building sand to BS1200, a concrete sand to BS882, 10mm and 20-5mm stone.

Powerscreen also supplied the electrical control systems for the whole plant which start and stop each piece of equipment in sequence. Housed in a free standing weather proof module this control centre is powered by a Caterpillar Genset.