Using Data to Find Order in the Chaos
Is your mine site making sense of the chaos that a shift in mining brings? Is there a team that consistently produces while other teams are falling further behind? Typically, during a “good shift” (when shovel headings are in place, and equipment reliability is high), the difference between teams is primarily a function of the […]
A Dispatcher’s Viewpoint
When attempting to increase the efficiency of a mine site, most sites set up a dispatch office equipped with a dispatcher and a chosen fleet management software suite. This gives the mine-site a central hub to analyze data and improve the effectiveness of their fleet through allocations of trucks to shovels. Giving the dispatcher a […]
There is Only One Way to Eat an Elephant
“There is only one way to eat an Elephant” is a great way to describe an insurmountable task. The answer is “one bite at a time.” This speaks to breaking down the problem or goal into smaller, individual tasks that will have a cumulative effect. In mining, saying we want to increase production is the […]
Why Your Organization Needs a Time-on-Tools Study
Maintenance departments are struggling to maintain budgeted headcounts, putting performance and even regulatory compliance at risk. At the same time, technician tool time is chronically low, which is an opportunity to increase effective headcount without hiring. Outliers’ Tool Time program gathers raw data through specific tools to measure your tool time. Root causes of lost […]
Prioritize Work with an Equipment Criticality Assessment
Work prioritization continually changes based on the evolving needs of the business. A component of prioritizing work is Equipment Criticality. A Criticality analysis is defined as the process of assigning assets a criticality rating based on potential risk and consequence of failure. Why is criticality analysis important? Criticality plays a role in nearly all types […]
Leading Effective Teams in the Mining Industry
Over the years I have noticed that the most successful teams have several things in common. They simply do the “basics” very well. These basics are: Effective supervision and leadership. Appropriate skill levels for the required tasks. Clear business process and expectations. Short and long-term plans that people understand. Effective control over the inputs (OPEX/CAPEX, […]
Déverrouiller le potentiel réalisable de votre projet minier
Ayant travaillé pendant de nombreuses années dans les secteurs de l’exploitation minière, de la transformation et de la logistique, je peux pleinement apprécier l’importance de fournir les bonnes données au bon moment et aux bonnes personnes. Dans le domaine minier, de bons processus de planification et d’ordonnancement permettent d’exploiter une mine de façon optimale et […]
Unlocking the Achievable Potential of Your Mining Project
Having spent many years working within mining, processing, and logistics operations, I can fully appreciate the importance of getting the right information at the right time and to the right people. In mining, a lot of value can be achieved through proper planning and scheduling. These processes will set the stage in which operations evolve […]
Overcoming Roadblocks to Create an Effective Training Plan
A training plan is a form document that communicates to management and stakeholders the details of the proposed training program. What should a training plan contain? Motives and objectives Curriculum Requirements Strategies Schedules Resources Why Training Plans get Passed Over in Mining Organizations Unfortunately, training programs are commonly seen as an avoidable cost, both in […]
Elevate your Operations to New Heights with Outliers Mining Solutions' Short Interval Control Tool
Looking back on my days as a dispatcher, I remember shifts when I would catch many opportunities (like the payloads), but more times than I can count it was way later in the shift than it should have been. I was always trying to catch if the shovel was underperforming, or how the trucks were […]