Equipment
The Importance of Reliable and Efficient Mining Equipment
The mining industry is one of the most challenging job sectors in the country. Mining operations are always focused on controlling costs and maintaining a profit. Having reliable equipment makes mining easier, safer, and more productive. The right equipment can also improve the mine site’s productivity and help you keep the cost per ton low.
Read on to learn more about the importance of efficient mining equipment and get tips for improving your productivity in mining.
Why Reliability Is Important in the Mining Industry
Reliable equipment gives you and your operation peace of mind that your machines will perform like they’re supposed to whenever you need them and won’t cause hazardous work conditions. It’s an essential part of your mining operations because it:
- Keeps You Safe: Over the years mining fatality rates have dropped. This is largely due to the improvements and features of modern mining equipment, which are designed with safety in mind.
- Makes You Marketable: Reliable equipment lets you take on mining projects and operate at the lowest cost per ton, giving you an edge over the competition.
- Boosts Employee Morale: One of the best ways to boost employee morale is to provide them with the tools and equipment they need to complete their job easily and safely.
- Increases Site Productivity: Less costly downtime, increased productivity, minimal servicing, and fewer parts replacement.
Check out a real-life example of how reliable Cat Equipment can be.
The Importance of Efficient Mining Equipment
When your mining equipment is efficient, it means that each piece of your fleet is operating as it should. Maintained, up-to-date mining equipment is critical for your employees’ safety and for keeping project costs low. It also saves you time, frustration, and risks associated with faulty equipment.
The importance of reliable mining equipment is that it offers:
- Safety: Mining machinery can be a leading factor in mining injuries and fatalities. Efficient mining equipment reduces the chance for stalls, worn brakes, fires, rollovers, electrocution, and other mining site hazards.
- Efficiency: The better a machine operates, the better equipped it is to do its job. Maintained brakes, wheels, tracks, and additional components can help your team get the job done faster and without interruption.
- Savings: It’s more cost-efficient to maintain equipment than to replace entire machines or costly components. Efficient equipment can also help you reduce your cost per ton and achieve your daily ore goals without expensive delays and minimal material waste.
Evaluate your equipment efficiency by keeping accurate logs of cycle time, maintenance, accidents, injuries, part replacements, and fuel costs. Then, track trends, patterns, and changes over time.
3 Ways to Improve Mining Productivity
Productivity in the mining industry means you have a steady increase in output, successfully manage crew and equipment safety, minimize costs and waste, and improve processes with accuracy. Learn how to improve mining productivity with these three tips:
1. Maintain a Strong Team
Your team plays the largest role in your mine’s productivity. Build a strong crew by:
- Implementing Training Programs: Training is the best way to keep your team sharp and focused on the job while creating a collaborative and improvement environment.
- Collecting Employee Feedback: Regularly collect employee feedback through surveys, one-on-one discussions, and open meetings to learn what changes and improvements they need to do their jobs well.
- Cross-Training Employees: Cross-train your best workers in other sectors, materials, job tasks, and special equipment to reduce hiring costs.
- Preparing The Team: Provide as much information as possible about a project ahead of time, including site concerns and requirements, goals, and site standards. Conduct site-specific training if necessary.
- Prioritizing Health and Safety: Prioritize health and safety during all purchasing and assignment decisions to avoid dangerous and potentially life-threatening situations. Occupational mining injuries create costly downtime and could damage tools or materials in the process.
2. Optimize Time and Materials
Optimizing your time and materials helps your team work more efficiently, protects profits, and gives your business a cutting edge over the competition. Some ways to optimize your tools, fleet, and practices include waste management and automated processes:
- Waste Management: Minimizing site and material waste can include reducing your electric consumption for equipment and on-site buildings and maintaining compliance with local environmental standards. Reuse and repurpose as many resources as possible, like repurposing waste rocks to minimize site erosion and repurposing project wastewater.
- Automated Processes: Use technology and modern equipment upgrades to automate as many routine processes as you can to avoid overstocking, track and fill POs, and schedule preventive maintenance. Use Cat MineStar Command for Underground to view your entire fleet’s needs and anticipate costs.
3. Manage Your Equipment
Manage your tools and equipment to keep them operating smoothly and avoid expensive repairs, replacements, and unexpected downtime. The best way to do this is to establish an equipment management plan that accounts for every machine’s needs like regular servicing, preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, and fuel consumption. Include the following in your equipment management plan:
- Regular Inspections: Crews should inspect equipment before and after each use and when any problems arise, like abnormal sounds, excessive vibrations, or stalling. Establish a clear protocol for employees to follow should they find anything concerning during regular inspections.
- Preventive Service: Preventive services help you catch and fix potentially dangerous malfunctions before they cause a safety risk or create downtime.
- Maintenance and Repairs: When it comes to mining equipment, you should never ignore potential warning signs for machine failure. Replace components as needed using parts and attachments from your machine’s brand whenever possible.
- Energy Reduction: Use energy consumption data to note patterns in your equipment’s fuel and energy consumption, then take steps to reduce it. Implement processes to repair leaks and other energy wasters promptly.
- Upgrades and Improvements: Today’s mining equipment has innovative technology to help you take control of your fleet and create a safer, more productive environment.
How Upgrading to Cat Mining Equipment Improves Your Operations
Caterpillar is constantly refining and updating machines to comply with changing standards, reduce environmental impact, increase productivity, and keep operators safe and productive.Support extends far beyond your initial purchase with machine management services, comprehensive fleet solutions, operator training, and parts replacement.
One of the most significant benefits of Cat mining equipment is accessing Cat MineStar Command for Underground, a comprehensive technology that gives you an in-depth look at your fleet. Learn more about the solutions that MineStar can provide you.
MINING WITH EMPIRE
Empire has the Cat mining equipment and technology you need to increase productivity and get the job done. With years of experience in mining support — including surface and underground sites — our team offers the knowledge and services required to manage equipment and improve operations.
Browse our inventory and contact us today to learn more about our commitment to your success.
