Pedreiras Basalto

Pedreiras Basalto, one of the successful enterprises of Brazil's Grupo Estrutural, is one of the fastest growing aggregates producers in South America. The company supplies raw material to the civil construction segment, serving customers such as ready-mix companies and paving plants, municipalities and government undertakings. Its 14 quarries must provide a quick response to increasingly varied customer demands, while maintaining the high product quality that has made Pedreiras Basalto the first choice for civil projects.


Pedreiras Basalto grows through acquisitions and expansion of existing quarries and names them according to acquisition sequence. Its main quarries today are Basalto 5 and Basalto 10, which are both located a short distance from São Paulo. Quarry 5 is a particularly large operation, producing 1.7 million tons of diabase aggregates per year.


Inadequate crushing

Basalto 5 was acquired in 1996 and Basalto 10 in 2005. When Pedreiras Basalto took over the operation of these facilities, it found a good deal of obsolete equipment, especially among the crushers.

Particularly problematic were the cone crushers, which confer quality to the aggregates by determining granulometry and shape. The majority of the old cones could not meet the growing need for fine aggregates and were no longer covered by technical support. To ensure aggregates quality and the assistance needed for high productivity, Pedreiras Basalto turned to Metso.


A well-proven standard

Metso has been present in Brazil for nearly a century and is a locally respected supplier of solutions and services for aggregates and mining companies. Pedreiras Basalto, whose policy is to work with the best technologies, has been a Metso customer since 1991.

Based on experience with Metso HP (High Performance) cone crushers at some of its other operations, Pedreiras Basalto decided on HP technology for its cone crushing at quarries 5 and 10. HP 400 and 500 cone crushers were chosen for their excellent performance, which allows the flexible production of fine aggregates at high capacities. Metso screens were also involved in the deliveries, including a Triplate LH (low head) 12' × 24' DD (double-deck) screen that is the first of its kind in the world.


Quality and efficiency

With their crushers standardized to Metso HP technology, quarries 5 and 10 are offering greater productivity and a truly high-quality product. The same amount of work can be done using less energy and fewer machines, which means a higher degree of efficiency and reduced noise levels on site.


In addition, Pedreiras Basalto is benefiting from a close relationship with Metso's team in Brazil. Thanks to local technical support and an effective aftermarket program that includes a parts agreement, the company has lowered its operating costs and is able to get even more from its already robust Metso equipment.