Metso Extends South American Wear Parts Agreement Worth EUR 10 Million a Year

A Three-Year Deal That Says More About Wear Parts Than About Metso

Metso has secured the continuation of a long-term supply agreement with a major mining company in South America for MX crusher wear parts used in Nordberg® MP1250 cone crushers. The new agreement runs for three years and carries an annual value of approximately EUR 10 million, with the first deliveries booked in the company's Minerals segment during the first quarter of 2026. The agreement also includes a technology development component, meaning the two parties will work together on new wear part solutions rather than simply renewing a purchase order.

That last detail is the one worth paying attention to. A miner that buys wear parts on a three-year contract is not shopping for the lowest price per kilogram. It is buying certainty — certainty that the liners will arrive when needed, that the wear profile will stay consistent, and that the supplier will keep improving the product rather than letting it stagnate.

What MX Technology Actually Does Differently

MX wear parts are not standard manganese liners with a different label. The technology uses manganese steel as a matrix and embeds specially designed wear-resistant inserts in the areas where the crushing forces concentrate. The practical effect is that the liner maintains its profile for longer, rather than wearing into a shape that changes the crushing action and reduces throughput.

For a mine running MP1250 cone crushers in secondary crushing service, that profile stability translates into fewer liner changes, more consistent product gradation, and lower recirculating load. Metso has stated that insert technology can extend liner life by up to 100% compared with standard manganese solutions. The claim is not universal — the actual improvement depends on the ore, the circuit, and the operating conditions — but the direction of travel is clear. Wear parts are moving from commodity consumables toward engineered components with measurable performance characteristics.

The Cost Per Tonne Question That Every Mine Eventually Asks

Wear parts procurement has historically been driven by the unit price on the invoice. A foundry quotes a price per kilogram, and the purchasing department compares numbers. That approach breaks down when the liner that costs less fails in 600 hours while the alternative runs for 1,000.

The industry metric that actually matters is cost per tonne of ore processed, which combines the part price, the labour and downtime for replacement, and the value of the production lost while the crusher is stopped. When a liner fails early, the part cost is the smallest component of the loss. The change-out itself consumes a shift, and the production that would have been processed during that shift does not come back.

This is why long-term supply agreements like the one Metso has signed in South America are becoming more common. They shift the conversation from price per liner to performance per liner, and they give the supplier an incentive to keep improving the product rather than simply holding the line on cost.

What the South American Agreement Tells the Rest of the Market

South America is a demanding wear parts market. Copper and gold operations there run hard, often in remote locations with long supply chains, and they cannot afford to have a crusher sitting idle waiting for a liner delivery. The fact that a major miner has committed to a three-year deal with a technology development component suggests that the buyer sees the supplier as a partner in keeping the plant running, not as a vendor to be squeezed on price.

That model is not unique to Metso. BHP signed a global framework agreement with a Chinese wear parts specialist in July 2026, formally bringing that supplier into its global procurement system. The pattern is consistent: large mining companies are consolidating their wear parts supply around fewer suppliers who can demonstrate technical capability, delivery reliability, and a willingness to develop products for specific ore bodies.

Where OCP Mechanical Company Fits This Picture

Not every mining operation runs MP1250 crushers, and not every mine needs a three-year global framework agreement. But every mine that crushes rock needs wear parts that perform predictably, arrive on time, and are priced in a way that makes sense for the circuit they serve.

OCP Mechanical Company has manufactured mining equipment for over 40 years. We supply cone crusher mantles and bowl liners, jaw plates, blow bars, and the full range of wear parts for crushing circuits, in Mn18Cr2, Mn22Cr2, and high-chrome grades. For operations that want the performance benefits of engineered wear parts without the premium brand pricing, we offer a direct alternative: factory-direct supply, no distributor margin, and a technical team that will review your wear profile rather than simply fill an order.

The economics of wear parts are the same whether you buy from a global OEM or a direct factory supplier. The part that lasts longer and changes out faster always wins on cost per tonne. The question is whether you are paying for the brand name on the casting or for the metal and the geometry inside it.

Our online customer service team is available 24 hours a day to discuss wear part selection, provide updated pricing, and help you work out which liner specification suits your ore. If you are reviewing your wear parts programme and want a direct quote, click the chat button and start the conversation.

All price information provided is for reference only; final quotes depend on equipment configuration, shipping terms, optional features, and current exchange rates. Product specifications are continuously updated; please consult our online customer service for the latest parameters tailored to your application.