How can you get value from iron ore? The answer is to build an iron ore crushing plant equipped with mature iron ore crushing process and well-matched iron ore crushers.
As the first procedure of iron ore processing, iron ore crushing turns large raw ore into uniformly sized stone material, improving ore usage rate and effectively controlling operating costs.
Core process flow of an iron ore crushing plant
Iron ore crushing plant processes large raw ore lumps into sized feedstock meeting specifications for mineral beneficiation and sintering, ensuring uniform particle size, while achieving low energy consumption and minimal equipment wear.
The process flow of an iron ore crushing plant primarily includes: primary crushing → secondary crushing→ screening.
Stage 1: Primary crushing
The iron ore transported from the quarry undergoes coarse crushing. Typically, a jaw crusher is used to break large raw stones into medium-sized ore, effectively reducing the load on downstream fine crushing equipment.
Stage 2: Secondary crushing
Secondary crushing further reduces ore with cone crushers or impact crushers, producing iron ore of uniform size and regular particle shape for downstream beneficiation and sintering. Tertiary crushing can be added if finer particle size is required.
Stage 3: Screening
The final stage of the crushing process involves the precise classification of iron ore particles for segregated use based on size.
- 8–15 mm: Blast furnace ironmaking and ore export.
- 0–8 mm: Sintering feed preparation.
- 0–10 mm: Mineral processing grinding.
Note: Iron ore resources are primarily categorized into four types (magnetite, hematite, limonite, siderite). Given variations in hardness and quartz content, cone or impact crushers are chosen for secondary crushing based on ore type.
Four types of iron ore crushing machines
Select suitable iron ore crushing equipment according to ore properties, output and finished particle requirements to ensure stable, efficient and low-consumption production.
1. Jaw crusher: The preferred choice for primary crushing
Jaw crushers serve as ideal primary crushers for iron ore crushing lines. They handle large, hard and abrasive iron ore lumps, producing medium-sized material to reduce feed load for secondary crushing equipment.
- Capacity: 10–50 t/h, 50–100 t/h, 100–200 t/h, 200–500 t/h
- Feed size: ≤1,200 mm
- Output size: 10–350 mm, irregular particle shape with excessive flaky grains
- Sturdy and low-maintenance: Heavy-duty structure and auto lubrication extend service life and cut operational costs.
- Energy efficiency: It optimizes the crushing chamber and transmission structure for higher crushing efficiency and lower wasted energy, ensuring stable operation to cut idling time and power consumption.
Popular jaw crusher models include:
| Model | Capacity (t/h) | Max. feed size (mm) | Output size (mm) |
| PE400×600 | 16–64 | 340 | 40–100 |
| PE600×900 | 70–180 | 500 | 65–150 |
| PE900×1200 | 220–380 | 750 | 100–200 |
2. Cone crusher: Secondary crushing of hard iron ore
Cone crushers are common secondary crushing machines in iron ore crushing plants, especially ideal for hard iron ore. They reduce iron ore into well-sized uniform particles, providing suitable feed conditions for subsequent mineral processing.
- Capacity: 25–100 t/h, 100–150 t/h, 150–300 t/h, 300–1,200 t/h
- Feed size: ≤480 mm
- Output size: 3–64 mm, mostly cubic in shape
- Suitable iron ores: Hard, abrasive magnetite and hematite, and quartz-rich limonite and siderite
- Wear and energy efficient: Featuring compressive crushing, it adapts to hard and highly abrasive ores with low wear and low failure rates, suitable for long-term heavy-duty work.
- Table output and uniform particle size: The crushed product is well-shaped with low needle-and-flake content and high purity.
Popular cone crusher models include:
| Model | Capacity (t/h) | Max. feed size (mm) | Output size (mm) |
| SC100S | 70–130 | 240 | 19–22 |
| HPM200 | 70–250 | 185 | 5–19 |
| GYS300 | 36–180 | 175 | 3–38 |
3. Impact crusher: Secondary crushing of soft iron ore
Impact crushers are the preferred iron ore crushers when iron ore features low hardness and low quartz content. Compared with cone crushers, they are better for soft iron ore, delivering well-formed cubical end-products with lower equipment and operating costs.
- Capacity: 10–50 t/h, 50–150 t/h, 150–300 t/h, 300–800 t/h
- Feed size: ≤800 mm
- Output size: 10–80 mm, uniform aggregate shape
- Suitable iron ores: Limonite and siderite with low quartz content
- High reduction ratio & superior product shape: It delivers high capacity and low power consumption, producing well-shaped iron ore particles with uniform size and regular edges.
- Durable wear parts with long service life: Equipped with heavy-duty impact bars for strong impact resistance and superior wear resistance, significantly reducing replacement costs and extending service life.
Popular impact crusher models include:
| Model | Capacity (t/h) | Max. feed size (mm) | Output size (mm) |
| PF-1007 | 30–70 | 300 | 10–80 |
| PF-1210 | 70–130 | 350 | 10–80 |
| PF-1315 | 100–280 | 500 | 10–80 |
4. Mobile crusher: Flexible and efficient integrated crusher
A mobile crushing station is an integrated unit featuring crushers mounted on wheels or tracks, allowing for flexible relocation. It is highly convenient for iron ore crushing operations involving complex sites and variable working conditions.
- Capacity: 10–50 t/h, 50–100 t/h, 100–250 t/h, 250–650 t/h
- Feed size: ≤800 mm
- Output size: 5–80 mm
- Type: Tracked mobile crushers and wheeled mobile crushers
- High integration and cost efficiency: It combines feeding, crushing, and screening into one unit with compact procedures, significantly reducing construction and maintenance costs.
- Flexible and fast commissioning: The all-in-one mobile design requires no foundation installation, enabling quick relocation and fast return on investment.
Iron ore crushing production lines with varying capacities
Based on iron ore hardness and production capacity, we offer a range of proven production line solutions designed to precisely match the specific operating conditions of various iron ore crushing projects. Acquire your iron ore crushing production line
| Iron ore capacity | Production line configuration |
| 5–20 t/h Magnetite, Hematite | Vibrating feeder + small jaw crusher + single-cylinder cone crusher + vibrating screen |
| 50–120 t/h Magnetite, Hematite | Vibrating feeder + medium jaw crusher + hydraulic cone crusher + vibrating screen |
| 10–20 t/h Limonite, Siderite | Vibrating feeder + small jaw crusher + impact crusher + vibrating screen |
| 50–150 t/h Limonite, Siderite | Vibrating feeder + medium jaw crusher + impact crusher + vibrating screen |
| Moving plant 10–50 t/h Magnetite, Hematite | Mobile jaw crusher + mobile cone crusher + mobile screening station (tracked/wheeled) |
| Moving plant 80–150 t/h Limonite, Siderite | Mobile jaw crusher + mobile impact crusher + mobile screening station (tracked/wheeled) |
Note: The above-stated production line serves as a reference for low-impurity iron ore. Actual configurations shall be adjusted based on ore hardness and quartz content.
Iron ore crushing plant customer cases
1. 100 tph magnetite crushing plant in Guinea
Project requirements: A company in Guinea required a plant to crush high-hardness magnetite with a capacity of 100 t/h. The system needed to produce uniformly sized finished product and withstand long-term, continuous, heavy-duty operation.
- Production line configuration: Vibrating feeder + standard jaw crusher + hydraulic cone crusher + vibrating screen
- Customer feedback: "Our magnetite crushing line delivers 100 t/h output. The equipment runs stably with low wear. It produces consistent 5–10 mm output and continuously supplies qualified iron ore feed for our downstream grinding process."
2. 80 tph mobile limonite crushing plant in Turkey
Project requirements: A Turkey company needs to crush limonite for sintering. With low quartz content, scattered mine sites and unfixed working areas, the project requires an output of 80 t/h and prioritizes fast site relocation together with a quick return on investment.
- Production line configuration: Mobile jaw crusher + mobile impact crusher + mobile screening station
- Customer feedback: "Since this mobile crushing station went live, our production has run very smoothly. It relocates easily with reliable anti-clogging performance, delivering 25,000–30,000 tons monthly. High-purity 3–8 mm output satisfies our local iron ore sintering needs."
Start your iron ore crushing solution
As a crusher manufacturer with over 40 years of experience, we specialize in the research and development of iron ore crushing machine. We know the unique characteristics of various iron ores and offer turnkey crushing solutions.
Get your customized crushing solution today and start maximizing the profitability of your iron ore project!
