Mine Face Utilization: The Key Driver of Productive Mines
While equipment utilization is one indicator of a productive mine, it’s far from the whole picture. What happens when your equipment isn’t being allocated to the right area on your mine site, at the right time, according to the most optimal sequence? If miner planners and supervisors are overly focused on how much equipment is […]
Preventive Maintenance Routine Optimization for Safer Mines
One of the biggest challenges of preventive maintenance routine scheduling for mining equipment is balancing the need for timely inspection intervals without disrupting mining operations unnecessarily. While a preventative maintenance approach that leverages data analytics can save companies substantially in the long run, there are initial challenges in optimizing PM routines for effectiveness. These can […]
Shift Change Optimization and Handover Process
Delays in relaying critical information about equipment status, ongoing tasks, or unforeseen issues can often disrupt mine workflows. For example, maintenance tasks scheduled during shift changes might be postponed or improperly communicated, affecting equipment reliability. As the health and security of personnel is paramount, the shift change and quality of handovers can reflect how well […]
The Role of the Gemba Walk in Mine Performance Management
The Gemba Walk was a leadership practice pioneered by Toyota during its automotive manufacturing surge beginning in the 1950s. Unlike many complex leadership processes, it is a remarkably simple and simply remarkable discipline – and is a vastly underutilized methodology in the mining industry. What is the Gemba Walk? The Gemba Walk is a routine […]
Why The Cutoff Grade is a Critical KPI for Mine Profitability
At a Glance The cutoff grade is a critical metric used to determine the quality of ore extracted, the profitability of the mine and incentivizes mine plan adherence by operators. Beyond measuring the volume/tonnage moved, the cutoff grade ensures that the right ore is moved, at the right time, according to mine plans that facilitate […]
