Stackers are a dependable and reliable means of stacking large volumes of material efficiently and uniformly. Stackers are designed to feed material onto the stockpile and to distribute it in a controlled manner [1]. It typically moves on rails and can move horizontally, vertically (luffing its boom), and sometimes rotate its boom. Stacker machines can create stockpiles in different patterns like cone, chevron, or windrow to suit operational needs. They are used to organize materials for storage or further processing.
In mining, reclaimers are very large machines that recover bulk materials, such as coal and ore, from stockpiles and transfer them to conveyor belts or other transport systems for further processing or shipping. A reclaimer’s function is to recover or retrieve bulk material from these stockpiles and transfer it onto conveyors for onward processing or shipping. Reclaimers often use bucket wheels or scraper systems to extract material while minimizing disturbance to the stockpile. Like stackers, reclaimers can move on rails and adjust their boom vertically and rotationally for efficient reclaiming.
Often, stackers and reclaimers work together in mining operations, with stackers forming stockpiles and reclaimers then retrieving material as needed. There are also combined stacker-reclaimer machines that perform both stacking and reclaiming functions in one unit, offering flexibility and space-saving benefits in bulk handling yards [2].
Reference
[1] “Stackers,” Metso. Accessed: Aug. 25, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.metso.com/mining/material-handling/stackers/
[2] TechSolutions, “Combined Stacker Reclaimer,” TechSolutions. Accessed: Aug. 25, 2025. [Online]. Available: http://www.techsolutions.com.cn/portfolio-items/stacker-reclaimer/
