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Used equipment can reduce the purchase outlay, but the saving matters only after the machine is matched to the job and brought into service. Condition, electrical compatibility, parts and transport can change the result substantially. A seller’s throughput claim describes a previous operating basis, not necessarily your ore or site.
This guide sets out a buying sequence for a Tanzanian project and shows how to compare a used offer with a new one. The outcome should be a documented duty assessment, inspection and complete delivered budget before a deposit is paid.
Check suitability before negotiating price
Write the required feed, throughput, product size, operating hours and utilities. For milling equipment, use appropriate grindability and process evidence rather than selecting by drum dimensions. SGS’s comminution guidance provides a reference for the tests behind grinding selection.
Ask the seller what material, feed size and product size supported the previous production claim. Have an engineer assess the installed power and circuit duties for your requirement. Even a mechanically sound machine can be the wrong purchase.
Commission an inspection appropriate to the asset
For a mill, inspect the shell, bearings, drivetrain, liners and repairs. For a crusher, review structural condition, bearings, adjustment and wear components. For pumps, confirm the wet-end duty and parts support. Use qualified inspectors and the manufacturer’s methods for the particular machine.
Metso’s mill-inspection service identifies issues such as cracks, alignment, contamination and vibration. It illustrates why a photograph or no-load rotation is not a complete condition report. Agree what can be tested under representative load and what remains unknown.
Verify electrical and installation requirements
Record every nameplate, drive, control panel and protection requirement. Have the electrical designer compare them with the actual site supply, including frequency, voltage, starting conditions and earthing. Do not assume changing one main motor makes the rest of an imported plant compatible.
Check foundations, access, lifting and dismantling requirements. Identify components that cannot be safely transported or reassembled without repair. The delivery budget should include packaging, loading, freight, clearance, inland movement and unloading, with responsibilities stated.
Compare the saving after repairs and delivery
Assume a used machine costs USD 40,000, with USD 2,000 inspection, USD 8,000 repairs, USD 10,000 delivery and USD 5,000 installation. The assumed ready-to-use cost is USD 65,000 before tax, operating cash and unresolved defects. A comparable new offer at an assumed USD 75,000 ready to use appears USD 10,000 higher.
Now test a repair overrun and a late start. An additional USD 7,000 repair and USD 5,000 valued delay would take the used case to USD 77,000 on that assumed basis. This is an illustration of sensitivity, not a current price or a claim that used equipment is usually dearer.
Require identity, ownership and parts support
- Manufacturer, model, serial number and proof the seller can transfer ownership.
- Drawings, manuals, service records and details of modifications.
- Inspection findings and a list of unresolved defects.
- Written parts availability, lead times and initial critical-spares scope.
- Contract terms for condition, testing, delivery and remedies.
Where records are missing, price and manage the uncertainty explicitly. Do not describe undocumented operating hours or an untested repair as verified simply because the seller gave a confident explanation.
Questions and answers
Is a seller's video enough to confirm a used machine's condition?
A video can help identify the machine and visible operation, but it does not establish wear, structural condition or performance at your intended duty. Arrange an inspection appropriate to the asset and review its identity and maintenance records. Agree any practical load test and document the repairs needed before comparing prices.
Which costs belong beside the used equipment price?
Include inspection, repairs, missing parts, transport, unloading, installation and changes needed for your site's utilities. Check availability of essential spares and service support. Compare that complete scope with a suitable alternative rather than treating the difference between two purchase prices as the final saving.
Buy the documented duty and condition
A worthwhile used purchase combines process suitability, verified condition and a supportable delivered cost. Start with the duty, inspect before commitment and compare repair and delay cases alongside the headline saving. The next step is an inspection brief and cost sheet that expose every unresolved item.
Sources and assumptions
Technical references were reviewed on 5 October 2026. Example costs are hypothetical. No universal discount, machine life or compatibility rule is asserted.