In mining, crushing is the process of reducing the size of rocks and ore. This can be done in a gyratory, jaw, cone or roller crusher. The best type of crusher depends on the stage of the crushing process and the material characteristics involved. Crushing typically occurs in three stages: primary, secondary, and tertiary, each with crushers suited to specific tasks. The table 1 summarises the types of crushers and their best use by crushing stage.
| Crushing Stage | Crusher Type | Typical Feed Size (mm) | Product Size (mm) | Material Hardness | Common Applications |
| Primary | Jaw Crusher | up to 1500 | 100–350 | Soft to very hard | Mining, quarrying, recycling |
| Primary | Gyratory Crusher | up to 1500+ | 100–350 | Soft to very hard | Large mining operations |
| Primary | Hammer Crusher | up to 1000 | Variable | Low to medium hardness | Coal, limestone, other soft materials |
| Secondary | Cone Crusher | 350–100 | 100–40 | Medium to very hard | Aggregate production, quarrying |
| Secondary | Horizontal Shaft Impact (HSI) | 350–100 | 100–40 | Soft to medium hardness | Recycling, softer aggregates |
| Secondary | Hammer Mills | Variable | Variable | Soft to medium | Versatile applications, agriculture, energy |
| Tertiary | Cone Crusher (Fine Type) | 100–40 | 30–10 | Medium to very hard | Fine aggregates, road base |
| Tertiary | Vertical Shaft Impact (VSI) | Variable | Fine sand sizes | Medium hardness | Sand making, shaping aggregates |
The choice of the best crusher also depends on additional factors like moisture content (sticky materials can cause blockages in some crushers), abrasion limits, reduction ratios required, and economic considerations such as maintenance and capital cost.
