Mining

Large mining companies operate expensive equipment in severe environments – extremes of temperatures, contamination and very high loads. They require specialist lubricant companies such as Lubrication Engineers that can reduce their huge maintenance and operating costs while also increasing their productivity.

LE products are increasingly popular with mining companies all over the world, including in Argentina, Australia, Chile, India, Peru and South Africa.

Challenges & opportunities

Moisture, contamination, heavy loads, shock loads, extreme pressures and continuous operation are some of the challenges faced by mining operations. We understand these challenges, and LE lubricants have been designed to perform even in difficult conditions in which other lubricants fail.

LE has a wide range of heavy-duty greases, high-performance engine oils and exceptional gear oils that withstand the difficult conditions. Key products include Pyroshield® open gear lubricants, Duolec® gear oils (1600 series), Wirelife® wire rope lubricants, Almamoly™ HD Grease, Almagard® EP greases, and diesel fuel improvers.

These LE lubricants can help mining operations increase machine life and decrease maintenance costs. They have been proven effective in keeping ball mills, loaders, heavy shovels, draglines, crushers and other mining equipment running efficiently in extreme conditions.

Large open gears – To keep equipment operating at maximum efficiency, you must use a lubricant that will perform under the conditions present at your mining operation. If you are still using asphaltic-based lubricants on the open gears on your ball mills, rod mills or breaker mills, it's time to make a change to a superior lubricant product. Open gears regularly suffer from pitting and other wear due to insufficient lubrication. Asphaltic-based lubricants prohibit maintenance personnel from seeing the wear. Instead, their first indications of a problem are elevated temperatures and vibrations.

LE’s Pyroshield® synthetic open gear lubricants can be used to protect the large open gears and keeping them running longer than they would with an inferior lubricant. Pyroshield lubricants were specifically designed to provide outstanding protection for heavy- and shock-loading applications such as the large shrouded open gears used in mining. They a re environmentally friendly, containing no heavy metals. They are translucent, which means maintenance personnel can easily inspect gears with the use of a strobe light. In addition, the conversion process for Pyroshield lubricants is seamless, with no need to stop your equipment.

Wire rope – Most wire ropes are lubricated during the wire rope manufacturing process, but the lubricant will not last the life of the rope. Proper lubrication will prevent deterioration of wire rope due to rust and corrosion. Corroded rope can be a safety hazard as there is no way to determine its remaining strength and life. LE’s Wirelife® lubricants, including penetrating and coating types, contain no acids or alkalis, possess the a dhesive strength to stay on the rope, penetrate between wires and strands, have high fluid film strength, resist oxidation, and remain pliable.

Gearboxes – Mining gearboxes tend to be overloaded, which leads to overheating and excessive wear. This often results in premature failure of the gears. Other common mechanical issues include emulsification of the gear oil due to water contamination and extreme foaming. LE’s Duolec® EP gear oils (1600 series) provide impressive protection against shock loading, foaming and water contamination. Their additive package keeps water contamination separate from the oil, allowing water to be periodically drained away. This simple solution prevents rust and corrosion in the gearbox and dramatically extends the life of the gear oil as well as the gearbox.

Bearing failures – Greases that do not seal effectively will allow the entry of contaminants. LE has a range of greases that are extremely tacky and nearly impervious to water washout, and can easily handle heavy- and shock-loading applications. LE also offers automatic lubrication systems for making sure grease is applied in the right place at the right time in the right quantity.

For more information on all of LE’s mining industry relevant products, click here.