This paper is for mine managers. It is about maintenance of mining equipment._x000D_
This is an extremely broad subject so this paper is given with the caveat that it necessarily contains generalisations, not true in all cases, but broadly correct._x000D_
The job of mine managers is to be good at making money from the excavation and preliminary treatment of mineral. To do this well, they need to understand the cost and value drivers in the business. This includes understanding the drivers associated with maintenance._x000D_
Maintenance is often identified as a problem at mine sites. It is frequently listed as the cause of production shortfalls when reporting. The state of maintenance within mining as an industry is generally among the lower end of the range, when compared to manufacturing, petrochemicals, etc. Why is this? Experience and review of many audits and evaluations of maintenance has shown that some patterns are consistent with good performance and some consistent with poor performance. These often centre around the time horizon of the management team and are associated with knowing the sensitivity of the business to certain maintenance drivers and the mechanisms of maintenance and their results._x000D_
To summarise, some common misunderstandings can be listed as statements that are obvious and extrapolations from those, which are not necessarily correct._x000D_
For example: High availability of equipment is necessary for production. Incorrect extrapolation:focus on availability will produce high production._x000D_
Design is often the greatest factor in determining the reliability of a mining machine. Incorrect extrapolation: the newest and biggest machines generally have the lowest cost operations._x000D_
Operation has an enormous impact on machine productivity and reliability._x000D_
Incorrect extrapolation: the fastest operators are generally the best from a productive point of view._x000D_
Some maintenance improves the performance and reliability of machines._x000D_
Incorrect extrapolation: more maintenance will give you more reliability._x000D_
Some maintenance depends on disassembly and reassembly of components._x000D_
Incorrect extrapolation: assembly is basically the reverse process of disassembly._x000D_
Maintenance improvement in the mining industry in the last 15 years has focused largely on planning and systems improvement. Incorrect extrapolation: most of the problems in maintenance can be traced to a lack of planning._x000D_
Actions based on flawed extrapolations will steer a business suboptimally. It is therefore important that the mine manager understands these issues so that the improvement effort can be directed to the greatest benefit.