Improving Ground Suitability for Remote Maintenance Bays

Why Remote Maintenance Bays?

Remote maintenance bays reduce maintenance-related downtime for mining and resource companies by reducing the mileage for mobilisation to and from the workshop area. 

According to Gates Mining Solutions, maintenance-related downtime such as breakdowns and scheduled maintenance costs resource companies an average of $180,000 per incident, or $3000 an hour (60 hours average per incident). Maintenance costs in the mining industries are commonly between 30% to 50% of mine site total operating costs.  It becomes clear that speeding up the time it takes to get machinery back up and running not only increases production, but it also adds to a companies profit.

Reducing the distance between maintenance workshops and production units can slash the time taken to get machinery back up and into production. It also decreases the fuel burn required to get machinery to workshops and ensures associated machinery can be put back where they are needed most, in production. 

Limitations

There are however, some factors that affect the viability of setting up remote workshops in the first place.

• Initial ground conditions
• Remoteness of site and cost of transporting cement and imported fill materials
• Remediation costs
• Duration workshops required
• Wet weather

Temporary Workshop Flooring

Composite mats have long been relied on for projects requiring temporary roadways and work platforms for heavy machinery. The concept of using modular panels to interlock and form a stable surface applies to workshop flooring. This opens up potential sites previously unavailable to methods relying on cement or existing competent grounds.

For robustness to take on mining machinery, Dura-Base Composite Mats are Australia’s toughest mats. With minimal ground preparation works required, they interlock rapidly to create a weatherproofed surface 105mm thick, keeping valuable equipment away from dust and mud.

Dura-Base Composite Mats features:

• 8.43m2 working surface with 105mm thickness per mat
• UV stabilised HDPE
• Waterproofed surface
• Acts as spill containment measure
• Acts as ground protection for erosion and sediment control
• Tread patterns for extra traction
• Suitable for both tyred and tracked equipment

Proven Track Record

DURA-BASE have been successfully deployed on major resource and infrastructure projects in challenging terrains since 2003. From remote swampland campsites to underground mine access roads and even as temporary ground stabilisation for a 3,200 tonne dragline move, these 105mm thick engineered platforms have been thoroughly tested in Australian conditions.

JWA Oilfield Supplies specialises in composite matting solutions for Australia’s resource and construction sector. More workshop flooring options available online or call 1800 264 628 to speak with an experienced team member.