Mobicat crunches through Hawaiian Blue Rock
Rugged, reliable, and powerful Kleemann mobile jaw crusher meets volcanic challenge
ON Big Island, Hawaii’s main island, a Kleemann Mobicat MC 110i EVO2 mobile jaw crusher is being used to produce material for a wastewater sewer construction project. The challenge here is the hard volcanic rock that needs to be crushed – the so-called Hawaiian Blue Rock. Big Island is the largest of the Hawaiian Islands and, with Kilauea and Mauna Loa, is home to two of the world’s most active volcanoes. The properties of the lava from eruptions vary from rocks containing gas bubbles and jagged edges to extremely hard, dense basaltic rocks from the cooled interiors of lava flows.
The Hawaiian Blue Rock is a hard basalt with a shiny bluish tint that is in high demand due to its exceptional quality, but is also particularly hard to crush. For this project, contractors Goodfellow Bros. required a particularly rugged, reliable, and powerful crusher that could meet this challenge. The contractor chose the Mobicat MC 110i EVO2 mobile jaw crusher for the job, a machine that is in use around the world for pre-crushing almost all types of natural stone.
The Blue Rock is being crushed to produce aggregates in two sizes for use in the sewer construction project: 0–20mm for the base layer and 0–100mm for fill material. The new-generation EVO2 mobile jaw crusher is designed to assure an optimal material flow and, thanks to its high hourly output, offers a particularly cost-efficient crushing solution. Its multi-stage overload system detects and automatically regulates overload situations caused by excessively hard and uncrushable materials, thereby increasing machine utilization rates.
Machine operator Bully Fergerstrom has been impressed by the quality and solid build of the machine. He also particularly likes the user-friendly functions such as the continuous feed system (CFS) and the intuitive operating concept that guides him through the process workflow on the project site. ‘I like the functions. They make sure I can do a good job. The user-friendly display guides me through the process and shows me what steps come next to get the machine up and running. Operating the machine is pretty easy,’ he said.
A powerful machine with easy handling and close collaboration with a trusted local partner play a decisive role, especially on projects involving the crushing of untypical rock types. This is why foreman Chris Pulgados appreciates not only the high quality of the machine, but also the service provided by local Wirtgen Group dealer Papé Machinery Agriculture & Turf: ‘The service they provide couldn’t be better. If we call them, it takes them only around five minutes to get here. We’re so lucky to have them nearby.’
