COMMENT
KEEPING THE MACHINES MOVING THE COST OF MACHINERY BREAKDOWNS MEANS THE IMPORTANCE OF REGULAR MAINTENANCE IS CRUCIAL TO ENSURING THE MINING AND RESOURCES SECTOR STAYS ON TARGET – AND ON BUDGET.
PAUL HAYES paul.hayes@primecreative.com.au
T
ime, as they say, is money. And that is especially true on a mine site. Shutdowns due to equipment failure can cost a company millions during the downtime needed to make repairs, not to mention the consequence of reduced uptime. And with Australian mine sites often located in some of the more far-flung corners of the country, the time and money needed to actually get parts fixed or replaced only adds to the costs. That’s why maintaining a mine’s equipment is so important to keeping a site running smoothly. Maintenance is necessary on all aspects of the mining process, from the machinery that digs the precious ore and minerals from the ground to the fleets of vehicles delivering their cargo for export. Not only does it mean that expensive and specialised equipment is kept in the best possible condition to improve operations, it’s also a vital part of keeping the workforce safe. And while some breakdowns in machinery are inevitable, careful maintenance provides the opportunity to identify a potential problem before it happens and can even extend the life of the equipment. This is where the practice of preventive maintenance is so critical. As mining companies look to improve their operational anticipation, digital companies are building the Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure to offer miners more foresight than ever before. Original equipment manufacturers and other mining equipment, technology and services (METS) companies have developed their service divisions to a point where they can attend to a miner’s concern at the drop of a hat. Machinery is built to be smarter and more robust to ensure vehicles remain on the park for longer.
As new maintenance solutions are discovered and put into practice, Australia’s mining industry grows exponentially. At the end of the day, there’s nothing more valuable to a mining company than optimising productivity – and properly maintained machines are big piece of that puzzle. In the March issue of Australian Mining, METS companies from across the industry are showcased, whether they’ve got a maintenance solution or a pioneering concept that’s changing the game. From Australia to South Korea and back, we explore Australia’s major critical minerals opportunity and unpack the issues facing the emerging opal and potash industries. While their outlook remains uncertain, iron ore producers continue to weather the cyclical storm and have enjoyed an improved price climate to start 2022. We’ll look at what’s next for iron ore’s junior and mid-tier miners. Austmine provides its industry insight, highlighting the key themes for METS companies in 2022, while mining’s electric rail evolution catches the eye. The likes of Aurizon, Wabtec and major miners such as BHP, Fortescue Metals Group and Roy Hill have been particularly active in this space. As always, it’s a busy time in Australia’s mining industry.
FRONT COVER
In this edition of Australian Mining, we include a special focus on mine-site maintenance, with a number of feature articles looking at equipment, technology and processes that help to keep a site’s machines running as well – and for as long – as possible. We examine the state of one of Australia’s key commodities in iron ore, while also taking a look at opal and potash. Leading experts provide their thoughts on a handful of key areas for the industry and, as usual, we cover the latest mining equipment and technology in our products section.
Cover image Elphinstone
Paul Hayes Editor
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AUSTRALIANMINING
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MARCH 2022
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