How automation and reliability can address labour shortages in mining
As in many other industries, the workforce available to global mining operators is shrinking.
A recent Shell white paper found that 71% of mining executives reported that talent scarcity was affecting production targets, while 86% of leaders described the difficulty of recruiting and retaining the necessary talent.
It cites the multiple factors driving this trend, including an ageing workforce, low attraction rates among younger generations and automation. One neglected factor is the reliability of critical components in determining operational success.
Because when maintenance is more difficult due to a shortage of skilled workers, reliable sealing technologies, couplings and support systems are more important for enabling safe, efficient and reliable operations.
Mechanical seals: Key to mining reliability
While companies are adjusting to the lack of engineering support, the nature of mining will not change. Every operator is still looking to protect their rotating equipment from abrasive materials under extreme pressure and temperature in difficult, remote locations while meeting regulatory obligations to minimise emissions. The onus is on operators to reduce the number of interventions needed.
And that means choosing a mechanical seal that is fit for purpose in an industry where equipment stress is intrinsic to the process. But what does this look like? The following represents a wish list of desirable attributes for seals deployed in mining operations:
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Withstand abrasive fluids with durable materials and balanced designs
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Enhance efficiency by minimising friction and reducing water consumption
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Simplify maintenance through replaceable wear parts and easy installation
John Crane has more than 100 years of sealing experience and expertise, proven in the most challenging locations. We augment our traditional technologies with modern, more innovative digital monitoring solutions.
The Type 5860 slurry is available as a pressurised single seal or pressurised and unpressurised dual seals. The rugged construction suits slurry pumps and mixers and is compatible with John Crane Diamond® seal face technology.
John Crane’s unique non-contacting Upstream Pumping (USP) seal face technology gives the Type 588 USP seal additional resistance to challenging materials.
Type 5840 is a low-cost, single-cartridge seal compatible with most OEM slurry pumps. The hydraulically balanced design and the use of standard materials meet the mining industry’s requirements.
Pre-assembled for quick installation and to reduce human error and labour time, the John Crane portfolio of standard cartridge mechanical seals is versatile, designed to fit standard ANSI, DIN / ISO seal chambers, and suitable for a wide range of mining industry applications.
With fewer qualified engineers available, operators value mechanical seals that require minimal intervention. Our split seals minimise process downtime by enabling easy replacement without excessive equipment intervention.
The Type 37FS uses fewer parts to reduce maintenance downtime and improve mean time between failure (MTBF), while the Type 37FSB fully split mechanical seal helps significantly reduce maintenance on slurry pumps, mixers and agitators.
Proven in high-pressure raffinate pumps in heap leach processes, the Type 3740 is the reliable option for pumps, while the Type 3740XL suits larger mineral processing equipment and addresses the maintenance workforce crisis by minimising manual intervention.
In the next part of the blog, we’ll look in more detail at options to improve uptime and reduce emissions through enhanced seal-face solutions, support systems and a reliability maintenance network that can support cleaner, safer, more efficient and sustainable mining operations.
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