Reducing costs is vital in today's mining environment. Too many customers are relying on their equipment to work harder.
This means vehicle machinery runs for more extended periods, with heavier loads, against steeper inclines—everything in the name of increasing corporate productivity.
Pushing equipment harder might enhance output in the short term, but the impact on equipment life, oil drain intervals, and the danger of unscheduled downtime can cause significant difficulties for mining operations in the long run. When maintenance costs rise, any benefit gained in the near term is lost and reversed.
Two steps are critical to achieving this level of the total cost of ownership reduction in mining:
- Use the best lubrication solution for each piece of equipment.
- Practice effective lubricant management.
Problems
Other problems in mining, aggregates, and energy:
- Dust Ingestion - An operation must be efficient and cost-conscious in the competitive coal industry, knowing an abrasive mixture of air contaminants could destroy an engine.
- Injector Wear
- Gearbox Wear - Gearbox oil and lubrication systems required enough cleanliness to protect gears, bushings, and steel shafts in a crusher; Ineffective original filters resulted in downtime and high wear metals in oil.
- Short Service Interval
Philippine Mining Potentials, Occupational Best Practices, and Low-Hanging Fruits for Improvement
The mining industry has great potential to be a key growth sector in the Philippines, given the country’s vast and rich mineral resource deposits and is located in the western Pacific next to its primary market for its mining outputs, China. It is also located on one of the world's busiest commercial routes, serving as a conduit for commodities such as crude oil from the Middle East and manufactured products from East Asian countries. The Philippines boasts vast quantities of copper, gold, nickel, and other minerals that have yet to be mined, as well as 55 operational metallic mines and seven processing units.
Mining may stimulate economic growth and create job opportunities in local communities by investing in infrastructure, utilities, and other services on mining sites. It can also contribute to the country's foreign-exchange profits through exports and provide the government with much-needed cash through taxes and fees paid on mining and other associated operations.
The Philippine mining industry has yet to live up to its potential. Thus, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) addressed this issue during the 48th Philippine Business Conference, and Expo hosted by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry held on October 19, 2022.
According to the DENR, they will boost the mining sector's potential to support the country's economic growth and development, according to DENR's Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs, Atty. Jonas R. Leones, DENR's Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), had identified approximately nine million hectares as potential mineral areas. He emphasized that around 3% of the nine million hectares of prospective mineral sites are given mining contracts.
Leones also stated that the DENR would conduct geological surveys and mapping to populate the geoscientific and mineral information database, as well as rehabilitation and remediation of the remaining 11 abandoned mines, to address the persistent misinformation that has tarnished the mining industry.
Best Practices
Small-scale mining (SSM) or artisanal mining is classified as part of the market economy's informal sector. Suffocation from chemical fumes, crushing injuries, exposure to severe heat, insufficient ventilation, vibration, dust, fumes, repetitive stress injury, loud noise, manual handling of heavy gear, and biological and chemical hazards are the most common forms of mining accidents in the Philippines. Examples of occupational ailments include skin diseases, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and hearing loss. Because of these dangers, the Philippines has implemented mercury-free mining, cyanide reduction, and green and climate-smart mining practices. The use of borax in recovering gold from ore instead of mercury originated in the Philippines, which is now known as the mercury-free gravity-borax method adopted in Africa and Asia. The Philippines also has a multitude of mining-related legislation. Enacting unique SSM laws and regulations, including a distinct set of safety norms, and decentralizing the issuing and management of SSM permits and licenses through local government units are examples of developmental directions. Legislative measures, Presidential Decrees, and Administrative Orders have been designed to provide a safety net, equity, safety, and health for small-scale miners, among the most vulnerable working groups.
In the Philippines, hazards and dangers have been recorded in SSM. Yet, SSM policies, regulations, and protective measures need broader coverage, execution, and provision of social safety nets.
Mining in the Philippines continues to be a problem, affecting workers' health, the community, and the environment. Protecting mining employees' health and safety is critical, and all participants and stakeholders must perform their respective duties. Governments and communities must perform their regulatory and monitoring functions to build up their capacities to benefit mining communities that contribute much to the local economy.
Low-Hanging Fruits
The mining industry in the Philippines will only improve over time, and some of the goals you set for your organization will be easier to achieve than others. Hence, here are some solutions you can do at your organization to start.
Fire and Safety Solutions
The fire risk poses a perpetual threat to equipment damage, financial risk, reputation risk, and loss of life. Manage the risk through Le Price International’s FSI Automatic Fire Suppression System. This system is safe, effective, easy to maintain, and can be configured to be suitable for various equipment sizes and applications. The system includes Automatic Detection through Rise and Loss of Pressure and Firewire System, Remote Manual Actuation, Engine Shutdown Feature, Operator Usage and Care Training, and Maintenance Training.
Mobile Equipment Solutions
Mobile equipment is essential in many business operations. They must operate at peak efficiency to maximize the cost of ownership and production. Le Price International provides many services to manage and preserve such assets, allowing you to get your money's worth.
One is the Reservoir Air Dryer, which eliminates the need to replace conventional desiccant breathers, enhancing reservoir breathing systems by purging and dehydrating reservoir head space.
Solutions
It’s a gritty, dusty world. Mobile equipment is essential in many business operations. They must operate at peak efficiency to maximize the cost of ownership and production.
Le Price International provides various services to manage and preserve such assets, allowing you to get your money's worth. We can assist you in increasing equipment availability and longevity while lowering your total cost of ownership. Below is a list of some of our mobile equipment solutions.
Blue® Clean Solutions Filters
With a single pass, these premium filters give unrivaled cleaning. They are ideal for filtering applications at the inlet and outlet. Their spin-on design enables fast and simple filter changes without special tools and provides more excellent protection from contamination during service than traditional cartridge-style filters.
These bulk fluid filters have our most advanced technology and structure to handle all fuels and lubricants in all working conditions. Donaldson Electrostatic Reduction Technology (D.E.R.T.™) prevents electrostatic discharge from damaging filter media. For better fluid compatibility, epoxy is employed in filter manufacture. E-coating offers the best corrosion resistance and epoxy adhesion. Fluorocarbon o-rings offer dependable sealing as well as optimal fluid compatibility.
Clean Diesel Kits
These systems provide easy, effective fuel dispenser outlet filtration, allowing you to pump clean gasoline into your cars and equipment. They are simple to install on any gasoline dispenser and include everything needed to filter out even the most minor impurities before entering your machine's fuel system. You'll have effective, efficient filtration in minutes if you follow the provided easy-to-follow, step-by-step directions.
Clean Diesel Carts
They are ideal for fuel transfer and kidney loop applications. A high-efficiency fuel filter and water absorber work together to ensure your diesel is clean and dry. Top-quality pumps of your choice, with maximum flow rates ranging from 56 lpm / 15 gpm to 80 lpm / 21 gpm, making quick work of cleaning small to medium-sized tanks. Easy to read, green to red service indicators on the two filters function, alerting the operator when one of the filters needs changing.
Sources:
DENR TO STRENGTHEN MINING SECTOR FOR PH ECONOMIC GROWTH. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES. (2022, November 9). Retrieved from https://www.denr.gov.ph/index.php/news-events/press-releases/4604-denr-to-strengthen-mining-sector-for-ph-economic-growth
Lowering the Total Cost of Ownership. Donaldson. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.donaldson.com/en-sg/engine/filters/technical-articles/lowering-operating-cost-mining-aggregates-energy/
Lu, J. L., & Lu, S. F. (2022, January 31). Occupational Safety, Best Practices, and Legislative Review on Small-scale Mining in the Philippines. Acta Medica Philippina. Retrieved from https://actamedicaphilippina.upm.edu.ph/index.php/acta/article/view/3886/3061
Mining market in the Philippines. Government of Canada. (2022, June 9). Retrieved from https://www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca/philippines/market-reports-etudes-de-marches/0006603.aspx?lang=eng
Reducing the Total Cost of Ownership in Mining & Quarrying. Shell. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.shell.com/business-customers/lubricants-for-business/sector-expertise/mining/reducing-total-cost-ownership-mining.html
Senate Economic Planning Office. (2013, December). Policy Brief.
