ASSET MANAGEMENT
asset management practices can limit both the number and extent of plant or mine shutdowns, and increase productivity, by ensuring the availability of critical equipment and spares as well as enabling the availability of specialist resources and a sufficiently trained workforce.
Elimination of risk More important than cost savings,
however, can be the elimination of risk. Te premise behind all asset management standards is that decisions need to be risk based or informed by risk. Safety risk, in particular, can be substantially reduced by ensuring all critical equipment is identified and managed accordingly. Te mining optimisation tecÚiques used by the Royal HaskoningDHV Mining Division ensures that clients can achieve
the optimal balance of risk, cost and output. End of life in the mining industry, or mine closure, can become a regulatory nightmare if solid asset management principles have not been followed during the operating life of the mine. Non- conformity with regard to mine closure usually means a deviation from legal requirements. Royal HaskoningDHV is an international engineering consultancy firm with headquarters in Amersfoort, Netherlands. It has assisted many clients with concept studies, feasibility studies, due diligence studies, and mine planning and design, to ensure that the embedded costs are controlled at an early stage. Royal HaskoningDHV utilises a whole
life cycle approach from project inception, leading to most of the potential deviations being identified, costed and provided for at an early stage. Implementing an effective asset management can enhance bottom line profitability, but it cannot transform a VWGolf into a Rolls Royce. Anton Booyzen isProject Development
Manager Mining and Capacitation, Royal HaskoningDHV.
End of life in the mining industry, or mine closure, can become a regulatory nightmare if solid asset management principles have not been followed during the operating life of the mine.
Anton Booyzen, Royal HaskoningDHV
22 INTERNATIONAL MINING ENGINEER
Modernisation of mining automation
Te need to modernise automation in the mining industry has lent momentum to the power conversion market in Europe and Russia. Market growth is bolstered by the fierce competition among mining companies, rising energy costs, and increasing awareness on the benefits of electric drives and motors. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan,
Power Conversion Market in the European and Russian Mining Industries, finds that the market earned revenues of $221.3 million in 2012 and estimates this to reach $272.6 million in 2017. Te research covers electric motors and electric drives. Electric motors have a greater market share because they are a key component of electric drives and find use in a wide range of applications. Electric drives also hold tremendous promise due to their high- tech, energy-efficient functions. “Power conversion products help optimize plant performance, improve functionality, lower production costs, and boost profit margins,” said Frost & Sullivan Industrial Automation & Process Control Research Analyst Maryna Osipova. “As such, alternative current (AC) electric drives and motors are gaining popularity in European and Russian mining companies as a means to decrease energy consumption and improve productivity.” Demand for advanced AC power
conversion products is also growing with the rising prices – 30 per cent since 2010 – of electricity in Russia and Europe. Tis has fuelled the uptake of electric drives that are perceived to be one of the top energy-saving applications, capable of cutting down energy consumption by 25- 50 per cent. However, limited financial resources due to escalating capital and operating costs is prompting mining companies in Russia and Europe to postpone or even cancel new automation projects. Consequently, the sale volumes of electric drives and motors have been moderate. High capital construction costs and a shortage of skilled personnel also discourage companies from initiating the modernisation of their industrial automation equipment. Further, the nationalisation of the mining industry in Russia has resulted in higher tax obligations for market participants, affecting their revenues and delaying the implementation of scheduled as well as future automation projects. To address these challenges, power
conversion product vendors should build strong relationships with end users to understand their requirements and create customized solutions,” observed Osipova. “Providing discount systems for loyal clients and offering flexible purchase options will aid market development.”
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