Current Practices for Preventive Maintenance and Expectations for Predictive Maintenance in East-Canadian Mines

ABSTRACT: Preventive maintenance practices have been proven to reduce maintenance costs in many industries. In the mining industry, preventive maintenance is the main form of maintenance, especially for mobile equipment. With the increase of sensor data and the installation of wireless infrastructure within underground mines, predictive maintenance practices are beginning to be applied to the mining equipment maintenance process. However, for the transition from preventive to predictive maintenance to succeed, researchers must first understand the maintenance process implemented in mines. In this paper, we conducted interviews with 15 maintenance experts from 7 mining sites (6 gold, 1 diamond) across East-Canada to investigate the maintenance planning process currently implemented in Canadian mines. We documented experts’ feedback on the process, their expectations regarding the introduction of predictive maintenance in mining, and the usability of existing computerized maintenance management software (CMMS). From our results, we compiled a summary of actual maintenance practices and showed how they differ from theoretical practices. Finally, we list the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) relevant for maintenance planning and user requirements to improve the usability of CMMS

A comparison of the fuel consumption and truck models in different production scenarios

Mine planning and mine design are crucial stages of a project in the mining industry. This study aimed to determine the impact of different constraints on the design and planning of a mine. Some of the deposit characteristics and parameters that influence the economic feasibility of a project were studied. Using economic criteria such as NPV, scenarios were established based on the best conditions to obtain higher profitability. Production was identified as the most relevant variable. Subsequently, the mining design was evaluated through technical parameters such as slope gradients and ramp widths, and it was identified that they have lower sensitivity in the final design and higher sensitivity in terms of economic feasibility, performance, and environmental implications. Using operational production, the performance of the loading and haulage equipment fleets was evaluated for each of the techno-economic scenarios. Additionally, the environmental cost was compared using equipment fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. This study presents a practical methodology for analyzing relevant variables in mining projects, their interactions, and identifying potential scenarios.Peer ReviewedObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::12 - Producció i Consum ResponsablesPostprint (published version

A review of asset management literature on multi-asset systems

This article gives an overview of the literature on asset management for multi-unit systems with an emphasis on two multi-asset categories: fleet (a system of homogeneous assets) and portfolio (a system of heterogeneous assets). As asset systems become more complicated, researchers have employed different terms to refer to their specific problems. With an objective to facilitate readers in searching conducive studies to their interests, this paper establishes a novel classification scheme for multi-unit systems in accordance with essential features such as diversity of assets and intervention options. Moreover, discerning differences in characteristics between cross-component and cross-asset interactions, we select three types of potential multi-component dependencies (performance, stochastic, and resource) and extend their notions to be applicable to multi-asset systems. The investigation into these dependencies enables the identification of problems that could exist in real industrial settings but are yet to be determined in academia. Ultimately, we delve into modelling approaches adopted by previous researchers. This comprehensive information allows us to offer the insights into the current trends in multi-asset maintenance. We expect that the output of this review paper will not only stress research gaps on multi-asset systems, but more importantly help systematise future studies on this aspect

Under-utilisation of road freight vehicle capacity: A case for eco-efficiency through collaboration

The road haulage sector experiences a considerable amount of inefficiency, characterised by sub-optimal utilisation of an individual vehicle’s cubic load fill and weight hauling capacity. This study firstly aims to understand why – despite its evident economic and environmental cost – this phenomenon has existed over the years. Next, an overview of initiatives and opportunities for improving freight vehicle capacity utilisation will be given. This paper by no means attempts to suggest that part-loaded or empty trucking can be fully eliminated. What is argued however is that there is theoretical scope for reducing the socio-environmental externalities of these activities while sustaining – if not increasing – the benefits that road haulage offers to the economy. Alongside direct mitigation of energy efficiency (by vehicle technology and/or modal shifts), maximizing existing vehicle capacity utilization must also form an integral part of efforts to green modern road freight logistics.It is suggested that horizontal collaboration and multi-actor co-loading of freight vehicles holds the greatest potential for improving vehicle fill rates. This requires little capital investment and would mean that the same degree of utility is delivered with fewer individual vehicles on the road. However, it is also argued that a collaborative road freight model may come in conflict with modern customer demands and production patterns, which typically involve rapid just-in-time deliveries of ever smaller consignments. Subsequently the widespread outsourcing of road freight operations to external third-party operators has not resulted in pronounced gains in vehicle capacity utilisation. It appears that a transport operator has very limited ability to better consolidate goods within its vehicles, unless its contractors offer an operational environment where this is possible. This paper suggests that a platform be established that will enable transport purchasers (contractors) to identify synergies in their logistical flows. This should help to move away from one-vehicle-to-one-customer arrangements, and develop an approach where a single moving vehicle’s available capacity is viewed as a service that is available for the benefit of several actors at the same time

Investigating the effect of Iron ore wastes transportation and environmental pollution in Chadermalo

Mines have a considerable role in polluting the environment. Greenhouse gases and wastes mainly cause pollution. In this regard, trucks that carry ores in a mine are a primary source of these pollutants. Selecting trucks with low fuel consumption can help to reduce pollution. The present research seeks to evaluate the effects of the objectives (Cost objectives, Production objectives, and Environmental objectives) in mines on the type of trucks to select and the routes they take, as well as the effect of the duration of stone transportation on pollution. The study's data were obtained from the Chadormalu iron mine in Yazd Province. As the results showed, the objectives set in the mine affect the CO2 level, and the goals followed with human health concerns induce lower CO2 emissions. It found that the time ores are transported by trucks affects the CO2 level. However, only the objective type affects the waste level resulting from tailings, not the speed of trucks. It is recommended that the duration of truck loading and unloading and the time the trucks waste waiting in lines be reduced to the extent possible to lower CO2 emission

Diagnóstico de fallos y optimización de la planificación en un marco de e-mantenimiento.

324 p.El objetivo principal es demostrar el potencial de mejora que las técnicas y metodologías relacionadas con la analítica prescriptiva, pueden proporcionar en aplicaciones de mantenimiento industrial. Las tecnologías desarrolladas se pueden agrupar en tres ámbitos: - El e-mantenimiento, relacionado fundamentalmente con el desarrollo de plataformas colaborativas e inteligentes que permiten la integración de nuevos sensores, sistemas de comunicaciones, estándares y protocolos, conceptos, métodos de almacenamiento y análisis etc. que entran continuamente en nuestro abanico de posibilidades y nos ofrecen la posibilidad de seguir una tendencia de mejora en la optimización de activos y procesos, y en la interoperabilidad entre sistemas.- Las Redes Bayesianas (Bayesian Networks ¿ BNs) junto con otras metodologías de recogida de información utilizadas en ingeniería nos ofrecen la posibilidad de automatizar la tarea de diagnóstico y predicción de fallos.- La optimización de las estrategias de mantenimiento, mediante simulaciones de fallos y análisis coste-efectividad, que ayudan a la toma de decisiones a la hora de seleccionar una estrategia de mantenimiento adecuada para el activo. Además, mediante el uso de algoritmos de optimización logramos mejorar la planificación del mantenimiento, reduciendo los tiempos y costes para realizar las tareas en un parque de activos

Advances in Computational Intelligence Applications in the Mining Industry

This book captures advancements in the applications of computational intelligence (artificial intelligence, machine learning, etc.) to problems in the mineral and mining industries. The papers present the state of the art in four broad categories: mine operations, mine planning, mine safety, and advances in the sciences, primarily in image processing applications. Authors in the book include both researchers and industry practitioners

Strategies Mine Leaders Apply to Reduce Fuel Use and Associated Costs

The inefficient use of diesel fuel can contribute to environmental degradation and global climate change. Mining leaders must ensure the effective use of diesel fuel to reduce costs and conform to global carbon taxation practices. Grounded in the social exchange and corporate social responsibility theories, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies successful mine leaders apply to ensure effective use of diesel fuel and reduce associated costs. The participants included four leaders of mining firms within Australia and South Africa who have successful experience with reducing diesel fuel consumption. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The four themes identified were emissions, asset management, haul truck driver style, and diesel cost. A key recommendation is for mining leaders to promote strategies that help reduce diesel fuel and minimize environmental issues surrounding mining operations. Implications for positive social change included the potential for mining leaders to invest in strategies to mitigate continuous environmental change further while improving the lives of people and communities residing near mining firms