Availability is a crucial metric in mining operations, representing the percentage of time a piece of equipment is available for use when required. In simpler terms, it reflects how often your machinery is ready for operations during its scheduled working hours. A high availability percentage means that the equipment is more often ready to work, leading to better productivity and, ultimately, higher profits.

The Formula:

Availability=(Scheduled Time Scheduled Time−Downtime)/Scheduled Time × 100.

For example, if a haul truck (let's call it DT03) undergoes planned maintenance (downtime) for 1 hour during a 12-hour day shift (scheduled time), the availability for DT03 would be:

Availability=(12−1/12)×100=91.67%.

This percentage tells us that DT03 was available and ready for use 91.67% of the time during that shift.

Why Does Availability Matter in Mining?

In the mining industry, profitability is directly tied to the amount of material moved and processed. This material is moved by machines, and the more available these machines are, the more material they can move. Low availability means fewer machines are operational, which results in less material being moved, leading to reduced productivity and, consequently, lower revenue.

For instance, if a critical piece of equipment like a haul truck or shovel is frequently unavailable due to maintenance or breakdowns, the entire operation can be slowed down. This ripple effect can significantly impact the mine’s ability to meet production targets

I've personally worked on a small mine that only had two excavators. When one would go down, the total tonnes for that day would be substantially less. In this case, the availability % of excavators had a director effect on profitability.

What Does a Good Availability Percentage Look Like?

The benchmark for a good availability percentage can vary depending on the type of equipment and the specific mining operation. However, an availability of around 85% is generally considered a good target for many types of mining equipment, including trucks, shovels, and drills. This percentage indicates that the equipment is available for use most of the time, allowing for optimal operation without significant delays.

It’s essential to note that availability should be reported by fleet type, as the operational demands and maintenance needs can vary greatly between, for example, a drill and a haul truck. Tracking and improving availability across different fleet types can lead to more efficient and productive mining operations.

How Can You Leverage Analytics to increase availability?

The data needed to calculate availability typically comes from Fleet Management Systems (FMS) used in mining operations. These systems, such as MineStar, Modular, or LiveMine collect vast amounts of data on equipment usage, including scheduled operating times and downtimes.

By leveraging analytics through the use of a dashboard like above, mining companies see availability percentages across time and gain insights into how their equipment is performing. This data-driven approach allows for more informed decision-making, helping to identify areas where availability can be improved, thereby boosting overall productivity.

Interestingly, despite the widespread use of Fleet Management Systems in mining, many companies do not fully leverage the wealth of data these systems collect. By not analyzing this data, they miss out on critical insights into key operational metrics like availability.

For example, if a company notices that certain pieces of equipment consistently have low availability, it can investigate the root causes—whether it’s a frequent breakdown code, inefficient scheduling, or prolonged maintenance times. All of this can be easily understood within seconds with the use of a well designed dashboard. Addressing these issues can lead to significant improvements in equipment availability, and by extension, in the overall efficiency of the mining operation.