3 Things to Consider to Help Maximize Your Mining Operation

When the focus on mining productivity is only short term, any significant improvements in your operations are challenging to maintain. Here’s how you can start thinking about a long term equipment strategy to reduce your operation’s cost per ton.

1. Use technology to help achieve your productivity goals
   
   An integrated approach to managing operations involves using both equipment and technology as a strategic tool to lower cost per ton. Higher quality mining equipment may cost more up front but offers big advantages that pay off in the long run - arriving factory-ready with the latest technology, using less fuel and working faster. It can also haul more tons per hour, calculated using a simple formula by taking cost per hour divided by tons per hour.
   
   You can also use technology to take the guesswork out of the equation. When an operator is running a truck, you can’t always control how they brake or change gears, but with the help of technology you can maintain the same level of operation for each user - providing total accuracy and consistency.
   
   
   
2. Track progress with telematics
   
   Telematics can help you track your work and understand where delays are likely to occur in your mining operation. It can also help notify site managers when a machine is in need of service so you can schedule maintenance and repairs to minimize downtown and maximize productivity.
   
   With electronic sensors and control systems on equipment you can also generate large volumes of critical data. This information can track machine health and condition, hours, location and usage, optimize workflows and production cycles, and maximize machine uptime.
   
   
   
3. Find the right equipment dealer
   

   With most mining sites located in remote areas there can be significant challenges in getting operators to and from sites - not to mention the toll it can take on the equipment itself. Costs for operating in these locations are significant and can quickly escalate with unplanned equipment failures or other issues. Combining expertise with data and analytics, equipment dealers can provide 24/7 support in monitoring machines remotely and offer you customized preventative maintenance solutions.

   Optimizing performance through utilization of data can unleash the potential for productivity improvements, maximization of equipment usage, elimination of unnecessary hauling, reduction of component failures - and even in efficient mines, help reduce the cost per ton and lower owning and operating costs.
   Click here for more information on how to control costs and boost your mining productivity using technology.

Finning is the world's largest Caterpillar dealer, selling, renting and providing parts and service for equipment and engines to customers across diverse industries, including mining, construction, petroleum, forestry and a wide range of power systems applications. We operate in Western Canada, South America, and UK and Ireland.