ASSET MANAGEMENT B
oliden Tara Mines in Navan, Ireland, has been producing lead and zinc for almost 40 years, and in recent times
has experienced many of the classic challenges of an older, deepening underground mine. Realising that it needed to adapt its operations to address these challenges, the management team made two major strategic decisions. T e fi rst step was to restructure the organisation towards a ‘one mine concept’, instead of the previous three-area concept, each with its own self-contained mining teams. T e second was to step up its personnel training programme to enhance skills, work smarter and establish a climate of continuous improvement. Atlas Copco, which supplies Boliden
Tara Mines with mining equipment, was also chosen to be the mine’s partner in training development. Mike Lowther, manager of Mining, says the new direction was essential to maximise effi ciency and fl exibility. “T e deeper we go into the mine, the tougher the logistics get,” he says. “We can’t do anything about exchange rates, metal prices or orebody grades but we do have the ability to control the effi ciencies of our mining and our costs. Mineralisation is only ore if you can mine it profi tably – to turn it into ore, the mine has to be economically viable.”
Cross-skilling in focus Over the years, the mine management has stressed the importance of enhancing skills and has worked closely with the local mining unions to achieve this. T is work has now moved into a more intensive phase as an increasing pool of cross-skilled operators and maintenance staff pass through the Atlas Copco Drill Rig Simulator Training Programme. Cross-skilling focuses on training the miners to operate groups of machines
with similar functionality, such as Atlas Copco’s underground production drilling and bolting rigs. T e fi rst training programme took place in 2013 and was an immediate success. T e second was held in 2014,
and here too, the results appear to be having an even stronger impact on operations. In preparation for the 2015 course, the mine and Atlas Copco formed a strong project team led by Seán Gilmore, training coordinator at Boliden Tara Mines, supported by Damien Healy, Atlas Copco’s service manager in Ireland. Gilmore took on the instrumental
role of simulator training planner, making sure that all the preparations were in place prior to the delivery of the simulator. Strong backup was also received from the mine’s electrical and IT sections. With just four weeks from go- ahead to implementation, it proved an intensive process. All trainees had to be registered with the simulator training software and system, email training accounts had to be set up, the surface training area had to be upgraded and, most importantly, the schedule had to be coordinated with the mine’s shift pattern. In addition, the schedule had to be adjusted around the trainees’ holidays and shift rotas to achieve the target of 24 craftsmen and 24 drill rig operators to be trained and cross- skilled.
A total of 56 trainees took part,
an increase from 32 in 2013. Once the schedule was in place, Mike Hall, normally shift boss at the mine, was appointed NPIC (Nominated Person in Control) for the 2015 project. Hall’s role was to ensure risk assessments were completed for the preparation and installation of the simulator on site, communication of the schedule to each trainee, and liaising with the Atlas Copco trainer. T e programme included both computer-based introductory training
We can’t do anything about exchange rates, metal prices or orebody grades but we do have the ability to control the efficiencies of our mining and our costs. Mineralisation is only ore if you can mine it profitably – to turn it into ore, the mine has to be economically viable
Left: With all the original components and controls in the cab, the simulator perfectly replicates a mine and the
various rigs
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