Newsletter September 2024 - Creating efficiency, on and off site
Efficiency, on and off site
Hello, how are you? Did you have a good summer/winter (hemisphere dependent)?
Mine was good, although busier than planned. I’m writing to you on a flight home from Skellefteå to London. You see, I’ve been to visit Boliden. The company has ambitions to become the world’s most sustainable metals provider and, together with OEM, Epiroc, and electrification specialist, ABB, the miner has been trialling a new trolley assisted, battery-electric truck haulage system at its Kristineberg underground mine.
Why am I sharing this? Because this month’s Intelligent Miner editorial theme is ‘creating operational efficiency’. When most people think about operational efficiency in mining they think of metals production - easing material bottlenecks, minimising waiting times for people and equipment… essentially, making the process more streamlined while lowering costs. And that is absolutely one definition of operational efficiency.
But to me, an efficient operation is more than that. It’s an operation that takes that philosophy, of using time and resources in the most effective way possible to achieve a goal, and extends it to every aspect of its systems. That includes, for example, minimising and recycling waste, reducing and substituting usage of natural resources like water, managing energy generation and storage, caring for staff in order to minimise sick days…
To me, a mine cannot be truly efficient unless it’s optimised at a systems level. Often, though not always, there are trade-offs to be struck and efficiency in one area, like sustainability, can come at the cost of another. However, the net effect over time is nearly always a positive one.
I thought about this as I watched Boliden’s battery-electric trolley truck, the first of its kind, drive up and down the haul ramp. While underground trolley combined with battery is a new technology (in mining at least) and there are questions still to be answered around performance in a production setting, the tests have already shown the system to support higher production, lower emissions and a reduction in maintenance requirements compared to diesel haulage. It also offers faster haul speeds and a significantly longer battery life than battery-electric vehicles that depend upon static charging.
I’ll tell you more soon, I promise. In the meantime, enjoy this month’s content. It will challenge you to think differently about efficiency. And I hope to see lots of you at MINExpo 2024 in a few weeks. If you’re planning on attending, drop me an email. Let’s catch up.
It's good to be back!
Carly
This month on the podcast
How to design regional prosperity through mining
Editor's pick
Our top three articles from July..
Reading list
Eight articles on operational efficiency to inspire you...
Geminum: Digital twins and the Theory of Constraints (TOC) in Mining
TOC is a philosophy that provides methodologies and ways of thinking that help miners to focus on production constraints, and to exploit those constraints to maximise throughput. Here's how it works...
Engineering & Mining Journal: Mining, to energy efficiency and beyond
Explore how miners can drive energy efficiency across the mining and metals value chain using new technologies and digital insights
Forbes: The mining industry has a productivity problem
Alp Bora looks at productivity challenges in the mining industry and argues that achieving operational excellence—focused on people, processes, assets, and cash—is essential to closing the productivity gap and ensuring sustainable growth
CIM Magazine: Electrifying performances
There is more to decarbonising mines than electrifying haul trucks, writes Graham Chandler
ICMM: The art of possible, how collaboration is driving transformation of large haul truck fleets
Mining companies, OEMs, and stakeholders are accelerating the move to zero-emission haul trucks through ICMM's Innovation for Cleaner, Safer Vehicles initiative. Here's an update on their progress
Deloitte Tracking the Trends 2024: Unlocking new value in existing assets
How mining and metals providers can balance complex priorities and meet supply demand through operational optimisation
McKinsey & Co: How mining companies reach the operational excellence gold standard
This article discusses how fostering a culture of operational excellence in the mining industry can lead to sustained improvements in productivity, efficiency, safety, and sustainability, highlighting the challenges and benefits of adopting such a culture
Polymathian: Injecting agility into strategic mine planning
Fast changing and less predictable business, operating and economic environments are making long-term mine planning increasingly difficult. But there are tools that underground operators can lean on to stay ahead of the game