A TOTAL PLAN TO DECREASE OIL COSTS ON MINE SITE
Mining is big business and with big business comes the never ending search for ways to improve productivity, decrease downtime of machinery and reduce costs, so having a plan makes total sense.
TOTAL, one of the world’s leading energy companies and a mining industry specialist lubricant supplier for many years has developed a smart six step guide to decreasing your oil costs on a mine site.
1. Rationalise your lubricants – An oil management fundamental is to rationalise the number of lubricants and lubricant packaging used. After on site analysis, the TOTAL mining team observed that this can result in savings of up to 17% of total oil costs. This is can be achieved through savings in physical inventories, costs associated with handling, spillage, theft, storage space and stock obsolescence.
2. Standardise your oil packaging – Do you really need the same product in pails, drums, Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBC’s) and bulk? Too many options can result in increased costs and duplication. Looking into where and how each pack size is being used and dispensed will allow you to reduce the number of disposable packs. This will not only simplify your ordering process, but also free up valuable storage space and reduce your cost of working capital.
3. Avoid contamination – Contamination control is often overlooked when considering why premature failure occurred or why lubricant life has been diminished. The two primary contaminants in oil are dirt (environmental dust) and moisture. When oil is contaminated it accelerates wear which can result in premature breakdowns and increased operating costs.
Maintaining clean oil is a crucial investment for mining companies and TOTAL suggests using contamination control techniques such as desiccant breathers on bulk and intermediate containers as well as filtration on bulk fluid dispensing. The benefits of sound contamination control in lubricants will extend the life of lubricated equipment and reduce overall maintenance costs.
4. Get your used oil analysed – The aim of oil analysis is to get a ‘snapshot’ of the condition of both the lubricant and the equipment at a point in time. Over a period of time, oil analysis can inform you of the optimal time for maintenance, oil change frequency as well avoiding costly emergency repairs and increasing the lifespan of your machinery.
TOTAL Oil Australia offer their TOTAL ANAC PRO analysis and comprehensive diagnostic reports to Australian mining companies, with great results shown for those already utilising the service. Once a company is registered it’s simply a matter of ordering a test kit, returning the samples and an oil analysis will occur. A detailed report is then promptly sent via email or hard copy for you to make decisions that will improve outcomes for your equipment and business.
5. Get a FIFO approach with the storage of your lubricants – Having a proper First-In-First-Out (FIFO) approach to storage of lubricants on site will reduce the occurrence of “obsolescence costs”, and avoid the use of products that have reached the end of their shelf life which can have detrimental effects on equipment.
6. Get the lube supplier to audit the mine – TOTAL employs lubricant specialists to assist customer’s in identifying areas of improvement that contribute to cost saving initiatives. For example, replacing just one lubricant with another can contribute to the reduction of many different types of costs, including purchasing, maintenance, energy, fuel and waste oil costs.
To learn more on how TOTAL Oil Australia’s mining experience and lubricant offerings can provide your total lubricant solution head to www.totaloil.com.au, call ADELAIDE OIL 08 8244 5404 or email admin@adelaideoil.com.au