Goonvean Aggregates increases efficiency, productivity and profitability with McLanahan Wash Plant

Challenge

At its Melbur Quarry in Cornwall, Goonvean Aggregates processes granite-based secondary aggregates. Secondary aggregates are the byproducts of other industrial processes. They are used as fully compliant alternatives to primary aggregates, contributing to sustainable construction practices, the circular economy and overall environmental sustainability.

Goonvean Aggregates receives its feed material — the secondary aggregates — from a supplier. After processing the aggregate, a portion of it would be sent back to the supplier and taken to the landfill, or tip. Since sustainability is extremely important to Goonvean Aggregates, the company wanted a way to be able to utilize all its material without having to send any of it back to the supplier and without having to take any to tip.

Solution

Goonvean Aggregates partnered with McLanahan to design a wash plant with water recycling capabilities to integrate with its existing crushing plant or to be fed independently. McLanahan supplied an UltraWASH Modular Wash Plant, UltraSAND Plant and 10m EcoCycle High-Rate Thickener.

The feed material enters the UltraWASH Modular Wash Plant either directly from the crushing process or directly through a feed hopper. The UltraWASH washes the material and separates it into three aggregate sizes and one double-washed sand product. The UltraSAND Plant washes the residue product, which is then incorporated into one of the other sand products.

The EcoCycle Thickener accepts the waste streams generated from the UltraWASH and UltraSAND Plants and separates the solids from the liquid in the slurry to recover immediately reusable process water. This process water is then reused back in the wash plants for cleaning the aggregate material, further adding to the site’s sustainability.

“Since we chose McLanahan as a partner, we’ve been quite productive in the way we’ve been able to reutilize and adapt the plant to our bespoke nature for the product we’re looking to produce,” said Matthew Penny, General Manager of Goonvean Aggregates. “The dialogue and feedback have been very strong and allowed us to end up with a plant that meets our requirements and needs.”

Results

The McLanahan UltraWASH Modular Wash Plant, UltraSAND Plant and EcoCycle High-Rate Thickener are helping Goonvean Aggregates to meet its sustainability goals.

“Our goals as a business are to be more sustainable in every facet of how we operate as a business,” Mr. Penny shared. “It’s an ongoing process, and we’re looking to reduce our carbon footprint. With the McLanahan plant on site, that’s allowing us to do so.”

In addition to helping Goonvean Aggregates meet its sustainability goals, the McLanahan equipment is also allowing the granite-based secondary aggregate supplier to utilize all its feed material and produce zero waste in the process, eliminating the step of taking material to tip.

“Since we’ve had the McLanahan plant on site, our productivity and efficiencies have increased. We’re able to provide additional products to the local and national market,” said Mr. Penny. “As part of this, it means as a company, we’re ‘zero to tip’. Every part of the product which comes into us, we’re able to process and resell as a finished product.”

Mr. Penny said that being “zero to tip” has huge environmental impacts for business. Specifically, for Goonvean Aggregates, it means the company can process all its feed material to be more efficient and more productive. It has allowed Goonvean Aggregates to reduce its carbon emissions as well as given the company an additional product offering, increasing profitability.

“It’s enhanced our product offering, our productivity, our efficiencies and our profitability,” Mr. Penny said about being able to process all the material with the McLanahan wash plants and Thickener.

Overall, Mr. Penny is pleased not only with the McLanahan equipment but with the support Goonvean Aggregates has received from McLanahan throughout the process.

“The support from McLanahan has been excellent and allowed us to proceed and to push on with our strategic goals as a business,” Mr. Penny said.