Mine to Market November-December 2012 - Mount Isa Mines

MICO Continuous Improvement
SECOND QUARTER WINNERS
Mike Westerman, General Manager MICO, congratulates
Allan Hazle on his winning Continuous Improvement initiative
Mike Westerman, General Manager MICO, presents Alan Rieck
with a $500 voucher
Illustrating that there is always room for
improvement, Copper Concentrator
employees Allan Hazle, Maintenance
Project Coordinator, and Alan Rieck,
Technical Officer Mechanical Maintenance,
have taken out the Quarter Two Mount Isa
Copper Operations (MICO) Continuous
Improvement Awards.
Allan Hazle’s ‘Filtrate Return Pump
Optimisation’ initiative is a great example
of how a relatively simple idea can
significantly improve safety and production
and reduce costs associated with
our operations.
“I saw an issue with the current set-up
of the Filtrate Return Pumps in that we
were using two pumps to service a function
that should have been done with one,”
Allan says.
“You can imagine the issues running
both the duty and standby pumps caused
when it came to maintenance, running
costs, and the reliability of the Hyperbaric
Filter Plant,” he says.
By reviewing the current system and
reducing the operational pumps from two
to one Allan has improved safety within our
workforce by decreasing the likelihood that
the Filtrate tank will overflow.
A substantial financial saving has also
been achieved, with the elimination of
both pumps running simultaneously
producing savings of approximately
$120,000 a year.
Mark Peterson, Superintendent
Mechanical Maintenance Copper
Concentrator, recognises the positive
impact Allan’s idea has had on the Copper
Concentrator’s operations.
“Allan’s idea is an excellent example of
maximising the efficiency of our existing
assets,” Mark says.
“It is also proof that genuine cost
savings can be had without sacrificing plant
performance or spending a lot of money.”
Alan Rieck’s ‘Develop Column Tail Valve
Tool’ was also a winner in the Quarter Two
Awards with the initiative enhancing safety
and increasing task efficiency.
After undertaking the tedious job of
changing a column tail valve, Alan began
to look at ways to improve and simplify
the task.
“The original method of changing the
valves was slow and difficult due to the
valve’s location. The use of chain blocks
complicated the task further and workers
were exposed to a manual handling injury
if the installation was done incorrectly,”
Alan says.
“The new tool allows the valves to be
mounted to a forklift jib attachment and
rotated in order to line up to the place
of installation.
“By eliminating the need to use chain
blocks, manual handling and pinch point
injuries are reduced. The installation tool
also decreases the time it takes to change
the valves.
“We are now looking at other areas
we could use the tool with little or no
modification,” Alan says.
Mark Peterson commends the ingenuity
of Alan’s idea.
“Al’s installation tool has demonstrated
that sound engineering controls can come
from the very personnel who are faced with
these kinds of tasks every day”
“It also proves that everyone has a
contribution they can make to improve
safety, production and cost efficiency, or,
in this case, all three.”
20 mine to market