A LOCTITE® wearing compound, supplied through Motion, helped one gold mining operation dramatically extend wear life on a critical ball mill feed pipe – without welding, tiling, or specialist contractors.
Wear is a fact of life in mining. Any time rock and slurry change direction – through chutes, bins, elbows, and transfer points – surfaces are effectively ‘sandblasted’ by abrasive particles. Traditionally, sites have relied on hardened wear plates, ceramic tiles, or frequent patch repairs to protect vulnerable areas. The problem is that many of these fixes are labour-intensive, disruptive, or difficult to repeat consistently.
The challenge: frequent re-coating and an expensive alternative
The elbow feeding into the ball mill was not a standard off-the-shelf item. The mine’s maintenance manager said replacement would require fabrication and cost “tens of thousands” to manufacture and install – before factoring in downtime.