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By Leslie McHattie, Sadek E. EI-Alfy

"The Maintenance Engineering Department at Carol Mining and Concentrating is currently in the process of introducing reliability concepts such as failure analysis, rework elimination, predictive maintenance, computerized maintenance history analysis, etc. to improve the over-all maintenance function in the mine and concentratormaintenance areas. Some current initiatives include:• Implementation ofan infrared thermographic scanning program.• Ultrasonic inspection of shafts for all critical equipment in the mine and concentrator areas.• Non-destructive testing of all major welds done by maintenance personnel.• Development of an effective vibration monitoring and analysis program for the production equipment in the mine (shovels, drills, haulage trucks, locomotives).• Failure analysis performed by maintenance engineers to identify the root cause of component failures on critical production equipment.• Computerized breakdown analysis to identify the recurring component failures which contribute significantly to high maintenance costs and production loss.• Implementation of a computerized maintenance management information system.This paper will outline the planned implementation ofthese initiatives, and others, and will also cover the status and results obtained to date."

Jan 1, 1992

By Paul D. Tomlingson

A new sense of urgency permeates the mining industry concerning maintenance. Mining's continuous process environment demands around-the-clock maintenance support. And profitability conscious mining operations require that production targets be met on time - and economically. These goals require nothing less than an effective maintenance program. In turn, the effectiveness of the maintenance program depends on quality information: easily procured, complete, timely, accurate, and properly used. Information picture is changing Some of the fully integrated, mainframe maintenance information pro¬grams of better days remain. Their upkeep and cost of operation, though, is becoming more difficult to justify. Some operations, faced with production cutbacks a few years ago, downscaled and found they liked it. Now, during an upswing, these operations question the need for the more elaborate, administrative-heavy programs they used to operate. Package programs are not taking their place. Too often, the packages are vague and generic. Some vendors claim that if their offerings work in a hospital complex, they must work in an underground mine. That is not so. Maintenance information in the mining industry is different. The situation has changed There are now smaller, self-contained maintenance groups whose information needs are different. These include an electrical crew in a smelter, an underground mobile equipment shop, or a remote service shop between several distant operating pits. These working environments have changed the character of the information needed as well as the methods for obtaining and using it. Operations-maintenance link In coming back from a downturn, operations people realize that their ability to meet production targets hinges on reliable equipment and avoidance of downtime. They have become familiar with the need to use maintenance services effectively. They also want quality maintenance information. When coupled with the sense of urgency about maintenance, a business-like working environment emerges that has significant new differences in both work control and information. Work control impact Work control has been streamlined to improve communications. Supporting information has been streamlined as well. • Verbal orders are the rule rather than the exception to quickly bring a multi-craft crew to the flotation section or a pit crew to a disabled haulage truck. • Written work requests and work order forms are seldom used, or even needed. Rather, electronic work control logs permit operations to request work, maintenance to acknowledge it, get ready, and do it - quickly, without delay. • Routine servicing is triggered by operating hour accumulation (mobile equipment) or tons of throughput (fixed equipment). Operations is now taking the initiative in delivering mobile equip¬ment to the "bad order line," or switching to a bypass conveyor. Operations wants immediate follow-up reports on equipment condition.

Jan 1, 1989

By Paul D. Tomlingson

Modern production equipment has been designed with greater productive capacity and higher reliability to meet the rigorous operating demands of the mining industry. These improvements have also made the equipment more complex and challenging to maintain. Whether these equipment enhancements contribute to more effective mining operations depends on the overall quality of maintenance. Maintenance is not a stand-alone activity. Although its quality depends primarily on maintenance, cooperation and support from other departments, coupled with the skillful guidance of mining managers, greatly influence maintenance success. Therefore, maintenance risk management must look beyond maintenance itself. Successful maintenance risk management begins with an assessment of the maintenance-related interactions of all mining departments within the mine’s stated operating strategy.

Jan 1, 2005

By Paul D. Tomlingson

An effective maintenance program ensures the adequate availability of production equipment. In turn, this availability enables production to maximize utilization and successfully meet production targets. An overall production strategy is necessary to draw all departments toward this common effort. Only then will production targets be met. From the maintenance view this means that production must comply with PM and repair schedules. Purchasing must supply parts and materials on time. Mine engineering must not overwhelm maintenance with non-vital construction. Accounting must provide correct, timely cost information - - etc. This strategy - - its content, effectiveness and enforcement is the responsibility of the mine manager . . . his alone. This paper describes a successful approach to maintenance within this strategy.

Jan 1, 1979

By Grant J. Goddard

"The Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) has been in operation for over 30 years. Today, and in the future, technology and its application will play an ever more critical role in the company’s business success.The Carol Mining and Concentrating (CMC) division of IOC is energetically applying technology today to enhance performance and results, and is aggressively exploring opportunities to apply technology to support improved business results in the future.A critical area of focus is the application of technology to maintenance management performance. CMC has taken a “back to basics” approach to the fundamentals of maintenance management in 1995 and 1996. In parallel, the mine is aggressively implementing its Vision 2000 maintenance integration plan. This plan is targeted at levering the energies applied to sound maintenance management fundamentals as the company moves to a fully condition based maintenance approach.This paper discusses some of the strategies, key technologies and objectives of theVision 2000 maintenance integration plan at the mining operations of IOC."

Jan 1, 1996

By A. J. Stapleton

"The Copper Mountain mine of Gaspe Copper Mines, Limited was brought into production in January, 1968.This paper describes the organization, scheduling and control of maintenance of large open-pit equipment, including 8-cu.yd shovels and 85-ton electric-wheel haulage units. The facilities for repair as well as maintenance are also described, including repair shops and field repair equipment. Maintenance costs are discussed and particular reference is made to tire inspection, records and costs."

Jan 1, 1969

By R. H. Andrews, F. J. West

"Jones & Laughlin Mining Company, Ltd. operate the Adams mine at Kirkland Lake, Ontario, where they mine approximately 4,000,000 tons of extremely hard iron-formation and 3,500,000 tons of volcanic waste rock annually in order to produce 1,100,000 tons of iron pellets. This paper will discuss the maintenance of the four Model 1600 P & H shovels and the two 50-R drills used to obtain this production. The chief maintenance problems at the mine are due to the hard, abrasive ore and the cold winter weather."

Jan 1, 1970

By William J. Wasko

Maintenance of mining equipment has become so complex and important from a cost and product ion standpoint that the organization must be set up in an engineering fashion to be successful. Production costs are greatly affected by proper maintenance. Tonnages can only be met when operating time is at its maximum and breakdown time is at its minimum. Last, but equally important, large capital expenditures must be protected and improved The effectiveness of the maintenance program will, in many respects, be a direct, result of the effort put torch in developing the overall program. Once the need of maintenance is realized, the next step is to determine what the organization should be and what it should accomplish. Follow through is then most vital. Preventing machine breakdowns and reducing maintenance costs are the primary goals of all maintenance organizations. Good preventive maintenance, a system for inspecting equipment and a complete record of inspections will help attain these goals.

Jan 1, 1966

By T L. Horsley

The change from a seasonal to a continuous mining operation at Cassiar has been accompanied by increased emphasis on the preventive maintenance of mining equipment. This paper describes how equipment maintenance is organized, and details some maintenance practices that have proved advantageous to the Cassier operation. Introduction Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Limited is currenly carrying out an open-pit mining operation at the 6,300-foot elevation on McDame mountain in northern B. C. A 6-mile road connects the mine to the mill and plantsite at the 3,500-foot elevation. Ore concentrate is delivered to the mill via a 3llz-mile tramline. Naturally level ground does not exist in the mine area. The weather is typical of mountainous regions, exhibiting wide and rapid variations in temperature. It is generally wet and windy at the mine elevation, and a heavy snowfall is common. The rock types vary from a soft, sheared serpentine to massive serpentine, to medium-hard, friable sediments to hard, blocky volcanic flows.

Jan 1, 1964

By Karl L. Konnerth

THE rapidly increasing use of machinery for the mining of coal and operations incidental thereto has materially changed conditions from a safety standpoint. A few of the coal-producing states have recognized the need for specialized electrical equipment for use in mines and have introduced certain requirements in their State safety regulations, notably Pennsylvania. This paper discusses the principal problems involved in maintenance of such equipment. PERMISSIBLE: EQUIPMENT "Permissible" electrical equipment is equipment that has met certain prescribed standards for use in mines where hazardous conditions may occur and has been recommended by the U. S. Bureau of Mines. Such machinery is available on the market for most coal-mining operations--for instance, coal cutting, transportation, drilling, loading, working-place illumination, shot-firing and pumping. A notable exception is the trolley-reel gathering locomotive which, although its parts may be explosion-tested by the Bureau, has not been approved as permissible for the following reasons: I. The trailing cable is subjected to more severe service than on other equipment. 2. State regulations do not require that a working place be examined for methane before a locomotive enters it. 3. Even with two-conductor cable, imperfect or inadequate bonding may cause the emission of sparks at the wheels of the locomotive and at rail joints. 4. As the locomotive is equipped with a trolley pole, and as the trolley wire may be installed and used in unsafe territory in spite of rigid State regulations, a trolley-reel gathering locomotive is always a potential hazard. MAINTENANCE The proper procedure for maintenance of permissible equipment may be divided into three parts: (I) inspection, (2) actual maintenance and (3) changes or improvements to existing machines. To secure the fullest benefits through the use of permissible equipment it is necessary that all men involved understand the principles underlying the safety features of this equipment and realize the significance of defects, so that neglect and indifference in the maintenance thereof may be eliminated. Inspection From the standpoint of safety it is desirable no doubt to make a suitable inspection of permissible electrical equipment once a week, but the opening of every enclosed compartment at each inspection may do more harm than good. The openings to such compartments are closed with various types of covers very accurately machined, often made of the softer alloys to reduce weight, and fastened with a multitude of bolts, screws, washers, and other small parts. Frequent handling of these covers may cause sufficient damage to defeat their original purpose and intent.

Jan 1, 1941

By A. J. Stapleton

"This paper gives a brief description of the occurrence and development of the Needle Mountain mine at Gaspe Copper Mines, Limited and describes the trackless mining equipment used in this highly mechanized underground operation.Maintenance of the trackless equipment is considered in detail, with particular emphasis on scheduling and control, examination and inspection. All maintenance is carried out in an underground garage, and the facilities for maintenance and field repairs are also described. Maintenance costs are given for various units and the figures for different types of loading and haulage units are compared to support the trend toward larger units and the increasing use of rubber-tired loaders."

Jan 1, 1969

By K. D. Genn, A. Mucha

This paper deals with Hilton Mines' approach to the maintenance of wear items such as truck boxes, shovel buckets, tractor pads, crawler sprocket idlers and the drop-ball. Each will be given a brief. description as to application, design, kind of materials involved and type of wear. The maintenance procedure is then outlined in terms of materials used, preliminary preparation, and welding and machining practices. The service history of new and re-paired items and the relative economics of repair vs replacement will then be presented.

Jan 1, 1969

By Grainger A, Dawkins G, Lysaght A, Kennedy R

Maintenance management improvement projects were undertaken at several BHP Collieries Division mines pursuing.the objective of achieving better structured maintenance procedures. Efficiently structured maintenance and optimum asset use are interdependent and productivity and computer models assist towards that objective. Definition of aspects of maintenance and analysis of the nature of equipment and materials, workloads and tasks, lead to more effective planning and scheduling of maintenance. The quality, standards and procedures of records must be suitable and adequate for storage and future retrieval. Total Quality Control initiatives and improvement projects even extend into spheres of customer/supplier relationships and problem solving teams as well as the more recognisable standards of management and performance factors in maintenance. All such factors contribute to a Maintenance Management Matrix to provide a better structured approach to economic maintenance management in the capital intensive coal mining industry.

Jan 1, 1991

By Ray H. Hario

Background of Erie Mining Company Erie Mining Company, managed by Pickands Mather & Co., is one of the largest producers of iron ore pellets in the United States. The plant is located at Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota, sixty-five miles north of Duluth on the eastern end of the Mesabi Range. Taconite Harbor, situated on the north shore of Lake Superior, is the location of its Power Plant and shipping facilities. (Figure 1) Even though the plant commenced operation in September, 1957, its true be-ginning can be traced back to 1931 when Pickands Mather, in conjunction with Bethlehem Steel Corporation and Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company, began investi-gating the possibilities of processing low grade ores. In 1940, Erie Mining , Company was formed. During the early and middle 1940's, laboratory and pilot plant research was proven to a point where a preliminary plant was deemed feasible and built in 1948. This plant had an annual capacity of 203,200 t (200,000 long tons) per year and, until mid-1952, was the only taconite plant in existence using commercial-size equipment. During this period, ownership of Erie Mining Company was expanded to include Interlake, Inc. and The Steel Company of Canada, Limited. In 1953, authorization was obtained from the owners to build a 7.62 M t (7.5 M long tons) per year plant at a cost in excess of $300,000,000.

Jan 1, 1977

By A. Durnan

Barrick Goldstrike Mines Inc. (Goldstrike) operates a six circuit (train) pressure oxidation plant for the pretreatment of gold bearing sulfide ores. The property is located 27 miles north of Carlin, Nevada. Since the commissioning and start-up of the first circuit in 1990 until the present total plant availabilities have exceeded 90%. The discussion that follows will detail the maintenance practices employed to consistently achieve this goal.

Jan 1, 1994

By E. W. Davis

This paper deals with the role of the Maintenance Department in a milling operation; specifically, the Mines Development, Inc., processing plant at Edgement, South Dakota. The goal of very maintenance department is the smooth and uninterrupted operation of the plant it serves, To achieve this goal, maintenance men adapt various features and procedures into a program designed to fit the characteristics of their particular plant operation. A few of the basic elements of a sound maintenance program are: 1, A periodic preventive maintenance schedule. 2, A systematic inspection and lubrication procedure. 3. A training program for maintenance personnel. 4 A good equipment-history file system, 5. A carefully planned spare parts inventory.

Jan 1, 1962

By Paul D. Tomlingson

There are huge benefits for mining operations that have a well-defined maintenance program that is understood and followed across the total operation. But for operations lacking a quality maintenance program, there is equal assurance that nearly every major maintenance problem can be traced to this omission. Few problems will be permanently corrected until such a program is implemented. Definition The maintenance program re-quires the interaction of all mine departments. Initially, the production department will request work and the maintenance department will identify work, principally through preventive maintenance inspection and testing efforts. Maintenance will then classify the new work to determine the best way to respond. Maintenance will plan selected major jobs to enable its crews to carry them out more effectively. Maintenance will schedule the planned work with operations. Supervisors will assign all types of work to their crews then, control the work through effective supervision. As work is completed, maintenance will measure the work using an accurate information system. Next, it will assess overall accomplishments against goals such as performance standards or budgets. In addition, the pro-gram would prescribe a means to evaluate every aspect of the operation as it affects maintenance so that necessary improvements or changes can be identified, prioritized and acted on. Such evaluations should be part of a mine-wide continuous improvement effort. A well-defined maintenance program is one of the best investments a mining operation can make to assure its profitability. Educating the total operation on the pro-gram assures long-term dividends from the investment.

Jan 1, 2008

The maintenance system for underground mobile equipment at Cobar Mines Pty. Ltd. has been modified from that originally planned as a result of experience gained in operating the equipment.Downtime due to breakdowns has been reduced by improvement of vehicle servicing and overhaul procedures.Frequency of breakdowns can be reduced by training operating and maintenance personnel to a high standard, ensuring adequate numbers of tradesmen and supervisors, good maintenance facilities and communications, a well designed mine layout, and a comprehensive stock of spare parts.A maintenance and downtime summary is compiled for each four-week operating period and this is useful in highlighting particular problems where corrective action must be taken.

Jan 1, 1969

By D. J. Charlton

"IntroductionMaintenance is a business, which to be successful, requires good management, systems and reporting. The prime objective of the maintenance management group, be they large or small, must be to anticipate and prevent interruptions in operations by keeping equipment in good mechanical condition. This objective should be carried out at minimum cost consistent with maximum productiveness.The objective of this chapter is to give an insight into the various aspects of maintenance management that must be considered to effectively and efficiently operate a mill complex. The degree to which the maintenance sub-systems are developed in an operating mill will be determined by the size of the mill and the needs of the operation.The criterion of the management system used is that the system serve the operation and not vice versa. The systems presented should be considered as tools and, as with all tools, they must be sharpened and replaced as the need arises or as more effective tools become available.To understand what is involved in maintenance management, it is worthwhile to consider a systems approach to analyzing management problems. This approach was developed by J.A.B. Rae while reviewing maintenance management systems for Cominco Ltd.A very simple system involving managing results and objectives is shown diagrammatically in Figure 1.The systems approach to organizational development involves four basic elements: an objective, a result, an activity and feedback. In the analysis, the activity element is broken down into individual actions that people could be held responsible for. If we introduce the action of operating into the diagram of Figure l, we arrive diagrammatically in Figure 2."

Jan 1, 1989

By C. W. Taylor, F. L. Martin

"THE DICTIONARY defines Metallurgy as the ""science or art of separating metals from their ores and refining them for use"". In these days, however, such a definition is not detailed enough.The modern science of metallurgy is based on two fundamental sciences, physics .and chemistry, and is sub-divided into two major fields: Process Metallurgy and Physical Metallurgy. These fields of metallurgy are now so comprehensive and involved that even the graduate metallurgist has to specialize in one or the other.In recent years, the relatively new science or technology of non• destructive testing has also entered the industrial scene, with tremendous impact and ramifications. So much so that, certainly, no .discussion on metallurgy can be complete without including some reference to it.Obviously, one paper cannot hope to cover in detail the relationship of the whole science of metallurgy to the mining industry. Consequently, only a very brief reference will be made to the field of Process Metallurgy, our major concern being with Physical Metallurgy and Non-Destructive Testing."

Jan 1, 1960