Mining
Transforming Mining Maintenance
Transformational Metrics at a Glance
Explore the Proven Impact of Proactive Maintenance—From Reducing Incidents and Costs to Extending Equipment Lifespans and Maximizing Output
- Reduced major safety incidents for the site by 75%
- Reduced spare parts inventory by $10M.
- Increase haul truck useful life by 220%.
- 2 to 3 unscheduled outages per week to 1 in 8 years.
- Anticipated 2 to 3 years ramp up to full production to 6 months for new sites
Reduced major safety incidents for the site by -75%
Reduced maintenance costs on the mobile fleet by 8.3%
Increased maintenance wrench time by 10%
Increased output by 20%
At one mining operation, we transformed their maintenance approach and broader asset management strategy, delivering results that exceeded even our highest expectations. By introducing more effective maintenance programs, optimizing equipment replacement intervals using Life Cycle Cost (LCC) principles, and instilling a proactive culture, we helped the site achieve remarkable operational and financial outcomes.
Early on, safety emerged as a key priority. Our strategies enabled the company to reduce major safety incidents by an impressive 75%. This not only protected their workforce but also created an environment where everyone could focus on efficiency and continuous improvement.
We reduced major safety incidents for the site by 75%
We then tackled equipment reliability and costs. For the mobile fleet, we reduced total operating costs by over 8% and increased wrench time for technicians by 10%. This wasn’t simply a matter of working faster; it was about working smarter—anticipating issues before they occurred and ensuring that every minute spent on maintenance yielded maximum value. In fact, this shift toward proactive maintenance practices created an unexpected bonus: the site’s spare parts inventory declined by $10 million, freeing up critical capital that could be invested elsewhere.
The results on key production assets were particularly striking. By carefully evaluating equipment lifecycle and implementing strategic maintenance interventions, we extended the useful life of their haul trucks from a projected 50,000 hours to more than 110,000 hours—an increase of 220%. Other mobile support equipment, once a drain on both uptime and budget, benefited from a more systematic maintenance strategy that combined effective scheduling, robust execution, and informed asset replacement decisions. The end result was better availability, lower cost, and a more stable production environment.
One of the most dramatic success stories came from the mill operations. By focusing on targeted maintenance improvements and empowering the team with proactive techniques, we increased the mill’s output by 20%—all without adding a single additional employee. The ball mill in the nickel refinery serves as a prime example: initially treated as a non-critical asset, it was actually vital to the process. Previously, the refinery was plagued by two to three unscheduled outages per week. Through a rigorous Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) program and a proper criticality assessment, outages became virtually nonexistent—just one unscheduled outage in eight years, compared to as many as 300 per year before.
Perhaps the most telling sign of our approach’s power came with a brand-new mine. By designing a comprehensive asset management program and putting it in place before commissioning and startup, we shrank the ramp-up period from an expected two to three years down to a mere six months. Production goals that once loomed on a distant horizon were met—and exceeded—far sooner than anyone had imagined possible.
Collectively, these achievements tell a story of transformation. Safety improved dramatically, costs declined, reliability soared, and production rose—all thanks to a shift toward proactive, data-driven, and strategically aligned asset management practices. It’s a testament to what can happen when a mining operation embraces a culture of forward-thinking maintenance and continuous improvement.
