Mobile vs. Stationary Crushing Plants: Which Is Right for Your Operation?

Mobile plants offer flexibility and fast deployment. Stationary plants offer higher capacity and lower long-term operating costs. The right answer depends on site conditions, production targets, and project timeline.

CRUSHING AND SCREENING PLANTS

5/26/20262 min read

The Core Trade-Off

Capital Cost

Mobile: Higher upfront purchase price for equivalent capacity, but eliminates civil engineering costs — foundations, power distribution, access roads. Civil work can represent 3–6 months of time and significant capital on a greenfield site.

Stationary: Lower equipment purchase price for equivalent capacity; civil infrastructure costs must be added. For permanent high-capacity operations, total installed cost of a stationary plant is typically lower.

Production Capacity

Mobile: Practical capacity range: 50–500 tph. Compact, self-contained design limits maximum throughput.

Stationary: Scales from 100 tph to over 1,000 tph. Only practical choice for large-scale, high-volume operations.

Flexibility and Deployment

Mobile: Can move to a new working face as the quarry progresses, follow road construction across hundreds of kilometres, or relocate between sites. Setup after relocation: hours, not weeks.

Stationary: Once installed, does not move. Relocating a stationary plant is a major undertaking — dismantling, transport, and reinstallation can take months.

Operating Cost per Tonne

Stationary plants typically operate at 10–15% lower cost per tonne than equivalent mobile plants due to: (1) grid power vs. diesel, (2) lower maintenance frequency from constant movement, (3) higher annual utilisation.