How Does a Mobile Crushing Plant Work: Inside the Crushing and Screening Process

In modern construction, mining, and aggregate production, mobile crushing plants have transformed the way raw materials are processed. These versatile, self-contained machines can be easily transported and rapidly deployed to job sites, making them ideal for on-site crushing and screening tasks.

But how does a mobile crushing plant work exactly? This article takes you inside the full crushing and screening process—step by step—to understand the technology, components, and workflow that make mobile crushers an efficient solution for material reduction and recycling projects.

What Is a Mobile Crushing Plant?

A mobile crushing plant is a movable equipment unit designed to crush raw materials like rocks, concrete, and demolition debris into smaller, usable sizes. Unlike stationary crushing systems, it integrates multiple components—feeder, crusher, screen, conveyor—into one or two chassis and can be easily relocated.

Mobile crushers are commonly used in:

Road and bridge construction

Quarrying and mining operations

Concrete and asphalt recycling

Temporary crushing sites or remote locations

They come in various configurations, typically combining jaw crushers, cone crushers, or impact crushers with vibrating screens and belt conveyors.

Step 1: Material Feeding

The process begins with material feeding, where large rocks, rubble, or aggregates are loaded into a vibrating feeder—usually by an excavator or wheel loader.

What Happens in This Stage:

The feeder controls the flow of material into the crusher

It separates fine particles through a grizzly bar (pre-screening)

Oversized materials are directed to the crusher, while finer materials may bypass to the screening stage

This step ensures even feed rates and prevents overloading, which could damage the crushing chamber.

Step 2: Primary Crushing

Once the raw material is fed into the system, it enters the primary crusher—typically a primary jaw crusher or impact crusher, depending on the application.

Jaw Crushers:

Ideal for hard, abrasive materials like granite or basalt

Crushes by compressing material between two jaw plates

Impact Crushers:

Best for softer materials like limestone or recycled concrete

Uses high-speed rotors to throw material against impact plates for shattering

Key Functions:

Reduces material size to manageable levels

Creates uniform fragments suitable for secondary processing or screening

Automatically adjusts gap settings in newer models for consistent output size

Some mobile plants include hydraulic adjustment mechanisms, enabling the operator to change output size on the go.

Step 3: Secondary Crushing (Optional)

In more complex mobile setups, a secondary crusher such as a cone crusher may be added after the primary unit. This stage further refines the material into smaller sizes or higher-quality shapes for specific applications like road base or concrete aggregates.

Cone Crushers:

Ideal for producing well-shaped, uniform aggregates

Commonly used in multi-stage crushing for finer gradations

Secondary crushing is not always required, especially in single-stage mobile plants designed for fast, coarse reduction.

Step 4: Screening and Separation

Once crushed, the material is transferred by a conveyor belt to a vibrating screen, which separates particles based on size.

Screening Process:

Oversized materials are returned to the crusher via a closed-loop system

Mid-sized and fine materials pass through screen decks and are discharged via separate conveyors

Multiple screen decks can be used for multi-size output

The screening stage ensures that only material of the desired size is stockpiled or used directly on-site, reducing waste and improving efficiency.

Step 5: Stockpiling or Load-Out

After screening, sorted materials are conveyed into stockpiles or directly loaded into trucks for delivery. Some mobile plants include radial stacking conveyors or telescopic belt systems that minimize the need for additional equipment or manual handling.

This makes the entire crushing operation compact, clean, and highly productive—perfect for tight urban job sites or remote field work.

Optional Add-Ons and Features

Modern mobile crushing plants are highly customizable and may include:

Dust suppression systems for cleaner operation

Diesel-electric hybrid engines for fuel efficiency

Remote control operation for safety and convenience

On-board scales for monitoring production output

Magnetic separators for recycling applications (to remove metal contaminants)

These features help optimize performance, meet environmental standards, and reduce operating costs.

Key Advantages of Mobile Crushing Plants

Now that we understand how a mobile crushing plant works, let’s highlight why it’s favored in many industries:

1. Mobility & Flexibility

Easily transported between sites

Quick setup—often in hours rather than days

Suitable for temporary or seasonal projects

2. Cost Savings

Reduces need to transport raw materials to off-site crushers

Lowers fuel and labor costs

Cuts down on multiple handling stages

3. Improved Productivity

Continuous crushing and screening

Fast adaptation to material changes or output demands

Ideal for time-sensitive projects

4. Sustainability

Promotes on-site recycling (e.g., concrete, asphalt)

Less environmental impact from trucking and hauling

Lower dust and noise emissions with modern design

Conclusion

A mobile crushing plant is more than just a crusher on wheels—it's a complete material processing system. From feeding and primary crushing to screening and final stockpiling, every stage is carefully designed to ensure maximum efficiency, flexibility, and productivity.

Whether you're in mining, construction, or demolition, understanding how a mobile crushing plant works can help you choose the right configuration for your project needs, reduce operational costs, and increase on-site capabilities.

As equipment continues to evolve, mobile plants are becoming smarter, cleaner, and more versatile—setting the standard for modern material handling across industries.