Every underground mining operation requires a fleet of machinery. Part of this fleet will include loaders, tool carriers and underground drilling machinery. Anyone in charge of hiring or buying mining equipment must explore the range of drills available and understand how, and when, each is used throughout the mining process – whether it’s exploration, development or production.
In Australia, and around the world, Caterpillar machinery has become a familiar sight across the mining landscape. It would be hard to find an Australian mine that doesn’t have at least one of Caterpillar’s bright yellow machines working hard on the surface or underground. The company has certainly come a long way since it began in 1890. Today, it continues to evolve to meet the demands of its customers and the industry. So, what is it specifically about Caterpillar that makes it a leading name in mining equipment?
Just how big is the mining business in WA? In a recent profile report, the WA Government stated that during the 2020-21 financial year mining had accounted for 47% of Western Australia’s gross state product (GSP). That equals $169.6 billion. The next highest contributing industry was construction with 5% ($8.2 billion).
With big business comes big issues and one of the biggest pain points for mining management is downtime. Every hour a piece of machinery isn’t operating is an hour of lost revenue. If that machine continues to break down, it becomes a huge problem.
The role of technology is central to creating a future for the mining industry in Australia. It can improve the cost-efficiency of mining, and improve the safety of industry workers.
Underground mines are one of the most challenging environments for workers and their equipment. The effects that implemented technology can have on the cost per ton is impacted by many factors including mine design, application, product quality and maintenance.
Australia’s underground mine productivity benchmarks are among the world’s best. There are a vast number of operating underground hard-rock mines in Australia producing coal or ore containing a variety of minerals and metals.
For Australian companies trying to enhance mining output in an ever-volatile environment, they must address a range of issues across the business to maximise value.
PwC’s 13th annual review of global trends in the mining industry is based on the financial performance and position of the global mining industry as represented by the Top 40 mining companies by market capitalisation.
It is within the power of the Top 40 to rebuild after a mining slump. As much as it is true that the top 40 mining companies provide a guide as to how the mining industry may look in the future, the top 10 companies provide a clear picture of the heights they may reach again.
Despite its durability, the underground environment is harsh and machines deteriorate without an ongoing maintenance plan. Minspares understands that when customers buy or hire a machine they expect it to be in good condition, compliant with current standards, and able to perform at a high level. Read more
Mining is an integral part of the Australian economy, accounting for about 10 per cent of the nation’s GDP. As of 2015, we have 420 mining operations in place, extracting coal, gold, copper, nickel, zinc, bauxite and opal. It is big business and there are a lot of mining machinery providers out there vying for your business.
If you are responsible for choosing a mining machinery supplier, the choices available to you may seem overwhelming. To help you with your decision, we have created 6 questions that you should ask. By answering them, you will be able to reduce your search to a few providers that meet the needs of your company and your mining operation.
To make any mining operation successful requires planning and logistics. If you are involved with a project, you have no doubt considered whether to buy or hire your mining machinery.
In this article, we are going to discuss the pros and cons in the hope it will provide the right solution for your circumstances. Read more
