Fuel Ox Additive boost mining equipment performance
Mining businesses invest significantly in rock haulers, excavators, slurry pumps and other heavy equipment. The diesel and maintenance costs for that machinery can pile up quickly while chipping away at the bottom line.
Some African mining companies have discovered a way to drive operational and fuel savings while maximising the performance and durability of their crucial equipment and curtailing emissions, with the product with Combustion Catalyst.
Originally developed as an additive for high-intensity applications including U.S. military operations, the product is now available for commercial use. Recent field tests of the product with three African mining companies showed substantial improvement in equipment performance and equipment.
Tried and tested
Mining Haulage Katanga (MHK), one of the largest mining, trucking and heavy equipment operators in the Democratic Republic of Congo, tested the product on two of its tractor-trailer units as well as an excavator. This resulted in an economy improvement of between 5- and 13%.
IAMGOLD Corp recently tested the product on a water pump used at its Essakane Mine, one of the largest gold mines in the world, in Burkina Faso, reporting efficiency gains of 9.75%.
Furthermore, a major contract miner operating in Ghana saw an average 10% improvement in efficiency on two of its rock haulers after adding the product to their fuel tanks.
The product is a multifunctional fuel additive with lubricity agents and detergents. Like other fuel additives, it stabilises fuel, cleans vital engine components, protects against corrosion and removes water. But its proprietary, patented Combustion Catalyst also lowers the combustion point.
This, in turn, maximises the burn of diesel in the cylinder, improving efficiency and performance while lowering soot and other exhaust emissions that harm both vital engine components and the environment.
“Keeping your diesel equipment performing at its peak in rugged conditions and controlling fuel and maintenance costs are priorities for any mining and exploration company, and Fuel Ox can make a substantial impact on both of those lines,” adds Rand Taylor, president of Fuel Ox.
“These field tests showed marked improvement in a few pieces of equipment. When you apply those efficiencies across an entire fleet, the fuel and maintenance cost savings and productivity improvements can be very substantial,” he concludes.
Source: miningreview.com
