| CASE 04: OPEN CUT HARD ROCK MINER
Achieving a 15% increase in Open Cut Mine output
The challenge: Like all mining companies, our client was under considerable pressure to improve mine output and deliver additional product to the broken ore stockpile for downstream processing to the concentrator. On the face of it, the mine had sufficient Shovel and Truck nameplate capacity to achieve the desired output comfortably, but average tonnages were more than 15% short of target with very high standard deviations.
The Asset Partnership was invited to facilitate the improvement process and to secure demonstrable improvements within a 2 month period.
The approach: Following a short scoping exercise, The Asset Partnership lead a joint client/consultant team through 3 phases of activity:
- Data gathering and analysis to identify internal and external factors affecting the productivity of each unit
- System design and development including the launch of a more proactive daily and weekly planning process and associated 'line up boards'
- Implementation and measurement in which the consulting team worked alongside superintendents and supervisors to embed new ways of working
Following the initial 3 phases, The Asset Partnership worked with the client to undertake periodic audits of ongoing progress and to act as coach to a number of project team leaders whose charters were set up during the consulting programme.
The outcome: Within 2 months, mine throughput had increased by 11%, well advanced towards the overall target. The mine operations and maintenance teams were working cooperatively towards further reductions in non-productive activities.
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