Converting tribology principles into measurable maintenance improvements at Sishen Iron Ore Mine

Sishen Iron Ore Mine in the Northern Cape province of South Africa utilises 72 primary equipment units to move 119Mt of materials per year, of which 32.5Mt of run-of-mine material are sent to the processing plant. The maintenance mission, philosophy and strategy of the Mine are outlined as a background to the discussion of the application of tribology principles. The evolution of Sishen's tribology outlook is described up to the current position, where the vision for the future is: "no wear". The current maintenance activities are discussed under the headings: contamination control, lubricants, growing awareness, flushing equipment, and breathers. The results achieved are described, together with the calculated return on investment. Finally, the requirements for success are outlined and possible pitfalls listed.