Remote locations and increased remote operation further complicate the demanding environments of today's mining landscapes. While this is a positive move for welfare, as less human contact and exposure reduces health and safety risks, it places more importance on the reliability of assets.

Some of the most vital elements of heavy-duty mining equipment are unseen: internal seals might be one of the smallest elements of behemoth drilling, boring and crushing machinery, but they are, without a doubt, one of the most important. From road headers to shearers, self-advancing hydraulic roof supports to crushers, the multiple internal seals of such apparatus rely on and demand the most advanced sealing solutions.

Failing seals are responsible for many detrimental aspects of a mining operation, including:

• Reduced efficiency
• Increased energy consumption
• Increased downtime

These all lead to a single, vital element - a decrease in profits. In today's ultra-competitive market, every minute that a mine fails to operate at full capacity equates to unacceptable practice.

Small Seals Shoulder Huge Responsibilities

Whatever the application, mobile mining assets require seals with the highest wear resistance. In addition to these challenging environments, seals must offer innovative solutions to address ever-changing designs and meet stringent safety and environmental regulations.

These multiple requirements can be addressed using a combination of the following:

• Advanced seal materials
• A wide variety of seal profiles
• Multiple bearing components
• Innovative seal system configurations

The right mix of the above will provide superior system reliability, even in conjunction with reduced human contact and exposure. In addition, adhering to environmental policies and responsibilities represents an additional requirement in an ever-more stringent mining landscape.

From the Coalface to Metal & Minerals: Off-road mining equipment solutions

Upgrading to advanced seal solutions is one of the most proactive ways to achieve increased reliability. Such a step can truly optimise the value of equipment investments.

For example, cylinder reliability is directly impacted by the endurance and longevity of the seals. Address this correctly with solutions that include advanced seal geometries and polymer technology, and you both improve asset performance and increase the duration between necessary maintenance. Considering that a replacement seal kit is the least expensive element of a cylinder rebuild yet has the greatest impact on performance and lifespan, it becomes easy to understand why investing in cutting-edge seal technology is the mark of the most successful remote mining operations.

Turnkey custom cylinder kits, such as those produced by sealing specialists - Chesterton and Chesterton Customseal - are simple to utilise in the field and have been designed to solve some of the most demanding seal fail problems.

• Proprietary polymer technologies: Unique thermoset urethanes offer high abrasion and low resistance, resulting in extended maintenance intervals and increased reliability.
• Custom designs: A wide range of seal profiles satisfies a broad range of cylinders commonly used on different off-road mining equipment. Wipers prevent contaminants from entering the system. Rod seals combat low-pressure leakage. Buffer seals reduce the impact of pressure spikes. Precision bearing bands minimise metal-on-metal contact, piston seals offer a bi-directional sealing system, and trash rings absorb contaminants within fluids.

The remote mining environment heaps multiple challenges on the equipment that works there. Destructive loads increase the pressure, meaning assets, such as excavators, trucks, wheel loaders and dozers, demand the latest technology for truly successful operation.

At Chesterton Customseal, we produce high-performance elastomeric polymer seals designed for use in a wide range of hydraulic, pneumatic and rotary equipment. The solutions we offer range from a vast collection of standardised polymeric seals to customised solutions designed for specific applications to provide you with an optimal final product.

Visit www.chestertoncustomseal.com.au/who-we-serve/mining/ today to find out more.