Effective maintenance: an essential ingredient of successful mining operations

In today's mining industry the maintenance of production equipment has emerged as a vital function that is getting a significant amount of attention. Mine managers are becoming increasingly aware of the need to improve maintenance practices and accomplish the maintenance function effectively. Costs are a major problem. It is no longer possible for mine management to relegate maintenance to the status of a necessary evil. Maintenance must be managed. It must be an integral part of the whole production strategy. Production managers and supervisors are finding that they must do more than yell for help. They realize now that their input is necessary in planning, scheduling, ensuring preventive maintenance services are adequate, or determining when equipment must be overhauled or replaced. Maintenance departments are having to adopt up-to-date management and control techniques. More sophisticated equipment is demanding higher levels of training and worker proficiency. Analytical procedures are being introduced. Engineering is becoming a necessary element of overall maintenance actions.