The liner is the single most replaced wear part on a crusher — and the grade you choose decides your cost per ton of material processed. Pick wrong and you either watch liners crack under heavy blow, or wear out in weeks on abrasive ore. This guide explains the metallurgy in plain terms and gives you a decision tree you can use on the next quotation.
Why liner material decides your cost per ton
A mantle, concave or jaw plate is not a "one steel fits all" component. The right chemistry means the part work-hardens exactly where it needs to, lasts through its duty cycle, and is removed on your schedule — not in the middle of a production shift. The wrong chemistry means premature failure, unplanned downtime, and a higher cost per ton than the cheaper quote suggested.
The science: Hadfield manganese steel & work hardening
Mn13, Mn18Cr2 and Mn22Cr2 are all Hadfield-type manganese steels. Fresh from heat treatment they are relatively soft — around 180–230 HBW — but they have a remarkable trick: under repeated impact, the surface work-hardens to roughly 450–550 HBW while the core stays tough. That combination of a hard face and a tough body is what lets a liner survive both abrasion and shock.
The catch is that impact is what triggers the hardening. In low-impact, high-abrasion duty (think fine tertiary crushing of hard, silica-rich rock), the steel never hardens enough — so a higher-carbon, higher-chromium grade is the better call. This single principle explains almost every liner-grade decision.
The three grades compared
| Property | Mn13 (Hadfield) | Mn18Cr2 | Mn22Cr2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manganese | ~11–14% | ~17–19% | ~21–24% |
| Carbon | ~1.0–1.4% | ~1.2–1.5% | ~1.0–1.4% |
| Chromium | — | ~1.5–2.5% | ~1.8–2.5% |
| Initial hardness | ~180–220 HBW | ~200–230 HBW | ~210–240 HBW |
| Work-hardened surface | up to ~450–500 HBW | up to ~500–550 HBW | up to ~500–560 HBW |
| Toughness | Highest | High | Good |
| Best for | High-impact, large feed, primary crushing | Balanced impact + abrasion, secondary cone & jaw | High abrasion, fine / tertiary crushing, hard ore |
Note: Composition ranges are typical for export-grade castings and vary slightly by foundry. The ranking — toughness decreasing, abrasion resistance increasing — from Mn13 to Mn22Cr2 is the reliable rule of thumb.
Decision tree: pick your liner material
Start from your crushing stage and feed condition, then read across to the recommended grade.
Rule of thumb: if your feed is both large and very high in silica (SiO2 > ~35%), step one grade up — e.g. primary duty that would be Mn13 becomes Mn18Cr2.
The factors that actually matter
- Ore abrasiveness (SiO2): below ~20% is moderate, 20–35% abrasive, above ~35% very abrasive. Higher silica pushes you toward Mn18Cr2 / Mn22Cr2.
- Feed size & crushing stage: big primary feed = more impact = tougher grade (Mn13). Fine tertiary feed = less impact = harder grade (Mn22Cr2).
- Impact vs abrasion balance: the core trade-off. More impact favours toughness; more abrasion favours hardness.
- Cost vs life: a higher grade costs more per kilogram but can deliver a far lower cost per ton processed — evaluate on total cost, not unit price.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Buying on price alone. The cheapest liner is expensive if it fails early or halves your changeout interval.
- Ignoring feed size. A liner specified for primary duty will underperform in fine crushing, and vice-versa.
- Mismatching to ore. Running standard Mn13 on very abrasive ore in low-impact duty means the steel never hardens — premature wear is guaranteed.
- Overspecifying toughness. Using Mn13 everywhere "to be safe" wastes life on abrasive fine crushing where Mn22Cr2 would last far longer.
Beyond manganese: when to step up
For the most extreme abrasion, manganese alone may not be enough. Titanium-carbide (TiC) composite inserts and ceramic-reinforced liners place ultra-hard particles in the high-wear zones, dramatically extending life in harsh duty. For impact crushers, the wear mechanism is different — high-chrome iron (Cr15–Cr27) blow bars are the standard for abrasion resistance. The right answer is almost always a grade matched to your specific machine, ore and stage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Mn13, Mn18Cr2 and Mn22Cr2?
All three are Hadfield-type manganese steels that work-harden under impact. Mn13 (~13% Mn) has the highest toughness and is best for large-feed, high-impact primary crushing. Mn18Cr2 adds chromium for higher initial hardness and is the balanced workhorse for secondary cone and jaw duty. Mn22Cr2 has the most manganese and chromium, the best abrasion resistance, and suits fine, high-abrasion tertiary crushing.
How do I know if my ore is abrasive?
A practical proxy is silica (SiO2) content: below ~20% is moderate, 20–35% is abrasive, and above ~35% is very abrasive. Very abrasive ores wear liners faster and usually call for a higher grade such as Mn22Cr2, especially in fine crushing where impact is low.
Can I just use Mn22Cr2 everywhere for maximum liner life?
Not recommended. Higher manganese-chromium grades trade some toughness for abrasion resistance. In primary, high-impact duty a tougher grade like Mn13 resists cracking and breakage better. Match the grade to the duty — overspecifying can actually increase the risk of brittle failure under heavy impact.
Why did my manganese liner wear out faster than expected?
The most common cause is a mismatch between material and duty: in low-impact, high-abrasion service the steel never work-hardens enough, so a higher-carbon/chromium grade is needed. Other causes include the wrong cavity profile, poor fit, or feed that is too fine for the selected liner design.
Do you provide a Material Test Report for each grade?
Yes. Every batch — whether Mn13, Mn18Cr2, Mn22Cr2 or another alloy — ships with a Material Test Report covering chemical composition and hardness, plus dimensional inspection records for full traceability.