Tesab Jaw Crusher for RJ Mitten

First published in the September 2017 issue of Quarry Management as Firm Favourites

RJ Mitten, long-standing operators of Tesab equipment, take delivery of new mobile primary jaw crusher

A busy quarry owned and operated by family firm RJ Mitten in Co. Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, has recently taken delivery of a new Tesab 800i jaw crusher and immediately put it to use at the face breaking blasted material down to 150mm before it enters a screener to create three aggregate sizes: +40mm for secondary processing; 20–40mm for secondary processing and direct sales, and –20mm for sale as blinding.

Lifelong Tesab users

With a range of Tesab equipment already being used in their quarries, the decision to upgrade to a new Tesab 800i was very easy for the quarry owners. The Mitten family business, which was founded by the late Robert Joe Mitten in 1969, operates two quarries in Fermanagh. Today, third-generation Roy Mitten, along with his father Eric, runs the two quarries, which, combined, produce up to 700,000 tonnes of material per year.

‘My grandfather started back in 1969 with a sand and gravel pit in Derrylin,’ said Roy Mitten. ‘In the early 1980s we purchased Rockfield Quarry at Lisnaskea and 10 years later we also purchased Magheradunbar Quarry.

‘We produce up to 700,000 tonnes of material a year from both sites, with
250,000 tonnes coming out of Magheradunbar Quarry, supplying all sizes of aggregates as well as agricultural lime locally in Enniskillen. Our biggest customers are those involved in the precast and ready-mixed concrete industries.’

New technology

The new Tesab 800i jaw crusher is the latest offering from Omagh-based manufacturers Tesab and replaces the already established Tesab 10580 model. Designed specifically for primary crushing at the quarry face, the 800i features Tesab’s new and improved step-deck vibrating feeder, which helps the machine handle dry or wet material. In addition, it has an independent two-deck pre-screener for extra production.

‘We have been using Tesab equipment here for 25 years and the brand has performed brilliantly for us over those years,’ said Mr Mitten. ‘Before the new Tesab was put into operation here we used the older model, the Tesab 10580, for eight years. That machine gave us great service over the years but it didn’t have a pre-screen facility on it.

‘This new 800i model is giving us more than 400 tonnes/h and comes with a secondary belt outlet that dispenses the finer grade material for immediate resale,’ he continued. ‘We use it to break down material from the quarry face to 150mm, making the resulting material easier to handle for screening. This machine will be run all day, every day, and will put around 2,000h on the clock each year.’

Mr Mitten added: ‘On top of the additional outlet belt to the side of the Tesab 800i, it also has a magic eye which keeps a control of all the material flowing into the jaws. If the operator puts too much in, the machine automatically identifies this and stops the feed until the jaw is free from obstruction. This prevents blockages and maintains a more consistent flow of material through the machine and on to the screener.’

Dedicated machines

Across the two quarry sites, the Mitten family uses three Tesab jaw crushers: two of the older 10580 models and the new 800i. They also use two Tesab impact crushers: a 1412T and a 623CT. The two Tesab 10580 jaw crushers with extra-deep jaws date back to 2005 and 2007, and are used across both quarry sites. The 1412T was purchased new in 2008 and is used as the main secondary crusher at the Enniskillen site. Most impressive, however, is the Tesab 623S static model, which was bought new in 1993 and has been fully reconditioned by Roy Mitten and his team.

‘The Tesab 623S has around 30,000h on it,’ said Mr Mitten. ‘We bought it in the early 1990s and recently decided to refurbish the machine as it is still a vital piece of equipment. It reduces material from 70mm to 20mm and is powered by a Cat 3306 engine, which, from experience, we know is a very reliable engine.

‘The hopper was modified so we can fill it using bigger loading shovels, the conveyor was extended and the engine was reconditioned. It really has given great service to our quarry and all this [refurbishment] work should give it an even longer life with us.’

He added: ‘The Tesab 1412 is powered by another Cat engine – the Cat C13 – which, again, is very reliable and has given very little bother over the years.’

Flagship model

Tesab sales executive Leon Connolly sold the new Tesab 800i to RJ Mitten. He explained: ‘The 800i is the flagship model of the Tesab crusher range, designed for quarry operators looking for maximum output with minimal downtime. The 800i is a simple, high-output and highly reliable primary jaw crusher with no fancy electrics and no CAN bus or PLC computer systems on board.

‘With the 800i, we have listened to the market and retained all the benefits of the proven 10580 24-tonne jaw unit, along with a more streamlined feed system with a two-deck independent pre-screen. 

This new model is improving production by more than 25% over the older model, as well as providing a better-quality material at less cost per tonne,’ he added.

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