The mining & metals industry faces dynamic challenges that demand efficient resource utilisation. In this capability article, we explore the essential strategies for optimising the use of key resources, including location (asset working places), equipment (mobile and fixed plant), material (consumables), and people, through the Commit Works platform.
Enhancing Resource Utilisation in the Mining & Metals Sector
Location Utilisation: Maximising Efficiency in Constrained Workplaces
Maximising location utilisation is crucial, especially in environments where space and access are constrained, such as underground mines. Factors such as geology, location status, availability, accessibility, and regulatory compliance directly influence how tasks are scheduled across various locations. CiteOps streamlines this by enabling users to plan and monitor task sequences at each location, offering clear visualisation of activity dependencies. This improved visibility ensures that all required steps are clearly understood and executed to meet daily and weekly targets at each location. For example, blasting activities, which are crucial for achieving operational targets but require many prerequisite tasks to be completed, can be better optimised through clear location plans.
Equipment Utilisation: Enhancing Efficiency and Reliability
Mining & metals operations rely heavily on specialised equipment for excavation, processing, and transportation tasks. Optimising equipment utilisation is crucial for maximising productivity, minimising downtime, and ensuring workers’ safety. There are two main factors to consider when planning shift tasks and equipment allocation: Firstly, understanding equipment availability, which can be impacted by unexpected breakdowns, equipment being offsite for major services, new equipment introductions, and scheduled maintenance. Secondly, tracking its utilisation to ensure equipment is being used efficiently and to its maximum capacity. CiteOps contributes to a full understanding of equipment availability and usage by providing visibility into equipment status and maintenance schedules, which enables more effective shift task planning. This valuable information, shared on a common platform, facilitates planning based on equipment availability, promoting optimal resource utilisation on-site. Additionally, CiteOps allows for detailed tracking of tasks assigned to specific equipment, including start and finish times, providing a clear visualisation of equipment allocation throughout shifts and offering valuable insights for improving planning and optimising equipment utilisation.
Material Management: Minimising Waste and Maximising Value
Efficient material management is essential for minimising waste generation and maximising material utilisation in mining & metals operations. From ore extraction to processing and refining, each stage of the production process offers opportunities for material usage optimisation. Implementing consumable tracking approaches enables companies to reduce environmental impact and conserve valuable resources. Moreover, adopting innovative processing techniques and waste valorisation strategies enhances value creation and sustainability across the supply chain. Tasks tracked in Commit Works CiteOps and CiteVis can be detailed to specific activity material/consumable requirements, creating a full allocation of key activity consumables spent on key work.
People Utilisation: Empowering Workforce for Success
Human capital is a crucial resource in the mining & metals industry, contributing to operational efficiency, innovation, and safety. Fostering a culture of collaboration, diversity, and operations alignment promotes employee engagement and operational resilience. Tasks tracked in Commit Works CiteOps and CiteVis can be detailed to specific people assignments and detailed activity start and finish times, creating a full allocation of all time spent on all activities by all people in both primary/operators and auxiliary/support roles. Furthermore, CiteOps facilitates integration with other tools, enabling synchronisation of leave and skills management systems. This enhances understanding of personnel availability, certifications, and skills, offering a holistic view to manage workforce effectively. This crucial information, shared in a common platform, facilitates planning based on people availability and skills promoting not only optimal resource utilisation but also positively impacting on-site safety.
To address these challenges and optimise resource utilisation, companies can adopt the following strategies:
Integrated Work Management (IWM): Integrate location planning, equipment deployment, material management, and workforce execution strategies into holistic operations planning processes to maximise efficiency and sustainability.
Technology Adoption: Embrace digitalisation, automation, and data analytics to optimise operations, enhance safety, and drive innovation across the value chain.
Continuous Improvement: Foster a culture of continuous improvement and knowledge sharing to identify and implement best practices, drive operational excellence, and minimise environmental impact.
Optimising resource utilisation is essential for achieving long-term success and sustainability in the mining & metals industry. By adopting a comprehensive approach that considers location, equipment, material, and people, operations can enhance efficiency, minimise environmental impact, and create value for stakeholders and communities. Through collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement, the industry can navigate challenges and seize opportunities to contribute to sustainable development and economic growth.
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