QLD Mining and Energy Bulletin
Issue link: http://ebook.aprs.com.au/i/42546
By introducing Linatex® Hoses at its Lawlers site, Barrick Gold has saved $700,000 a year. Located almost 700 kilometres northeast of Perth, Lawlers underground mine is part of the multinational Barrick Gold's Yilgarn South operation which also includes the Darlot and Granny Smith mines. In 2009, Yilgarn South collectively produced 352,000 ounces of gold. An ongoing concern at Lawlers, where sulphide and oxide ores are treated at the onsite mill, was the continual failure of mining hoses. At worst, the life span of these standard hoses was as short as 10 days and at best it was unpredictable, resulting in the need for a reactive rather than predictive approach to maintenance. When Lawlers maintenance planner Dave Long decided the hoses should be replaced with Linatex® Hoses with Wear Indicator Technology, the results were remarkable. The life span of the hoses, which went into service in November 2009 with the hope they would last a year, has exceeded expectations, with no failure almost 18 months down the track. As well as their long life, the Linatex® Hoses can be monitored to indicate when they will need changing. This has resulted in improvements such as: planned maintenance, fewer shutdowns, increased safety with no need to bandage failed hoses, and less production loss. Overall, the estimated annual minimum cost saving is $700,000. Impressed by the outcome, Barrick Australia has presented Dave Long with its annual award for Continuous Improvement and is looking to install the Linatex® Hoses with Wear Indicator Technology at other sites. "The long life, the monitoring capability and the quality of the hoses set them apart from the rest," said Dave. "And while the initial cost is higher than the hoses we were using, that's totally insignifi cant because of the cost savings over the long term." "The long life, the monitoring capability and the quality of the hoses set them apart from the rest" Dave Long, Maintenance Planner at Barrick Gold's Lawlers Mine