Mines are demanding environments and that is no more true than in Zambia where copper mines are among the wettest in the world. Here, an inefficient pump station can lead to a flooded pit. And there’s a whole range of technical challenges mine operators need to consider; a single failed wheel motor can sideline a multi-million-dollar haul truck; a power outage can stop production and even compromise the entire mining operation.
Those threats exist despite high levels of investment in maintenance; the world’s top 40 miners spend US$628 billion on operating expenditure annually, with around 25% dedicated to equipment servicing. Operators are at greater risk when they fail to assess equipment independently of each other, which ignores how issues such as energy security or water management can interact to increase operational risks.
In this article, Craukamp will make the case that Zambia’s mine operators should plan ahead with their asset viewed as a whole, which makes preventative and predictive maintenance possible, thereby reducing the risk of unplanned downtime and ultimately saving miners money.
