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@IQ_UK

Institute of Quarrying

Phil James BSc (Hons) MSc FCMI MIoD

Julian Smallshaw FIQ, FHEA, BSc

Continuous Improvement

Quarrying.org@IQ_UK

About The Institute

1917

Global extractives industry• to improve health and safety• to increase productivity• to improve standards

Delivering excellence in education and training

Professionally qualified members

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Quarrying.org@IQ_UK

The Institute of Quarrying

PurposeTo advance the science and practice of quarrying, for the benefit

of all

VisionIQ is the beating heart of a vibrant world-class minerals industry

ValuesProfessional integrity

Lifelong learning

Ethical, sustainable practice

Quarrying.org@IQ_UK

The Institute of Quarrying

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Quarrying.org@IQ_UK

Quarrying.org@IQ_UK

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Continuous Improvement

The way to achieve sustainable profit improvement

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Quarrying.org@IQ_UK

Julian Smallshaw FIQ, FHEA, BSc

Began career as a Quarry Manager 20 Years member of IQ10 Years Institute of Quarrying5 Years Head of Education

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Content

Introduction to CI

Project goals

What areas can achieve CI

Operational improvement reporting

Examples of OI measures

Summary

Introduction to CI

CI stands for Continuous Improvement

Fully implemented it improves efficiency

& profit year after year

Achieved by better use of resources,

reducing cost, rationalising sales values,

increasing income

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Introduction to CI

Operational

• Reducing fuel use

• Minimizing downtime

• Process knowledge and control

• Sharing best practice

Operations, Technical and Sales

• Pit balance –

• More high value or sales of new products

Introduction to CI

CI encompasses all aspects of aggregates manufacture:

“your ideas on how to make the site perform better and how best to implement any changes are needed!!!”

to make the change

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Project goals

Build a continuous improvement culture at each site

Share knowledge and best practices between all sites, and

sites managers/employees.

Support this with a structured training program

Increase communication between sales, technical and

production teams

Achieve profit improvements year on year across each site

Deliver every year a recurring $ per ton benefit by lowering

production cost and optimizing revenue

Continuous Improvement can be found in all the process areas

Savings can be made from initial stages of the production process until

delivery of product to the customer

So everyone is involved in the CI process and can assist in achieving the

project’s goals

Where should we focus our CI?

Loading/

TransportCrushing ScreeningTransport

Transport

& storageSales

Drilling/

Blasting

C.I

Savings

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Get your prospecting right – mineral quality

Geological surveying and testing

Design: Pit design, plant design, plant location

Geology

Optimize blasting to balance the production of fines

and oversize material

Create a level floor avoid production of toes

Understand breakage characteristics of the faces

Balance between frequency of blasting and amount of

explosives used

Drilling & Blasting – CI examples

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Optimize equipment use through reducing cycle time and minimising idle

times

Reduce fuel consumption where ever possible

Monitor data on each vehicle, such as fuel usage and availability, driver

performance

Identify and report areas which are causing inefficiency in the process e.g.

• Uneven road surfaces

• Part loaded dumpers

• Mismatch between size of excavator and dumper

• Frequent vehicle downtime

Haul and Load – CI examples

Crushing – CI examples

What is the reason for the

current settings on crushers?

Could these settings be

changed to improve the

process?

Are crushers running at

maximum throughput?

Justification for multiple

crushing stages

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Is current screening media the best fit for its current purpose?

Can savings be made through changing of screening media?

Is the screen currently prone to pegging or other issues?

How can this be remedied ?

Can high value material be reclaimed through washing of low grade

material ?

Screening & Washing – CI examples

Aim to maximize production of high value products

Maximize the specifications of low grade products into higher value

product

Develop communication between sales and operations, so material is not

undervalued or undersold and desirable products are identified

Identify new market areas for existing products

Balance the pit…sales and production in balance, no excessive stocks or

waste

Product & Sales – CI examples

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Reduce electricity by turning off machines during stoppages and

downtimes

Investigate unexpected costs, such as excess water consumption

due to leaks or faulty meters

Investigate the most common causes for stoppages and downtime

on site and aim to reduce them

Run the plant at its maximum throughput (100% coefficient)

Well maintained plants, free from spillage reduces contractor costs

Check conveyor belt loads and investigate any under use

Reduction of variable costs –CI examples

Can you identify any improvements on site which could improve efficiency, reduce costs or increase revenue?

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How to report improvements?

CI-card system is installed in

your site

These cards allow recording of

CI improvements by all staff,

with the ideas regularly

reviewed and implemented by

both local and area managers

In this way progress of

improvements can be

monitored by all employees

Example of CI-Card System

Examples of Operational Improvement

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Example 1Manual belt sampler allows QC

to gather representative sample

without stopping production

Observed at site: Flagship quarry

Area of the site: Yard (conveyor belt)

Equipment: Belts

Description Belt sampler in action

Required implementation steps

The belt sampler is a bucket like device that can be manually

pushed into the stream of rocks as they fall from one conveyor belt

to the next. Once enough product is collected, the sampler is

removed from the stream. The bottom of the sampler can be pulled

out so that the rocks can fall into a bucket to be taken for QC

testing.

Installation of belt sampler on conveyor belts.

Achieved upside

QC can achieve a representative sample

No need to shut down production

Ease of use facilitates frequent sampling

Date: July 1, 2015

Operational improvement

Hand Held Metal detector

Observed at site: Quarry

Region: Regional team

Process step: Processing

Description Photo

Required implementation steps

Achieved upside

Date: 08/02/2015

Site manager: Mr Quarry

Captured by: Mr CI

When the metal detector triggers it shuts down the plant. In order to

locate the metal in the feed a hand held metal detector or security wand

is used.

Purchase a security wand portable metal detector. ($159)

Prevention of hand injuries caused by searching through the

crushed rock on the conveyor.

Minimizes the time to locate the offending piece of metal in a

large area of material on the conveyor belt thus minimizing

downtime.

Example 2

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Example 3

Example 4

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Example 5

Example 6

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Example 7

Example 8

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CI fosters cooperation between technical, sales and site managers and workers.

CI aims at maximizing profitability, year after year, through $/ton production efficiency,

improved sales, cost saving ideas or improvement initiatives.

A CI culture can be developed and sustained by facilitation, training, support, advice on best

practice and learning from proven ideas and improvements.

For maximum benefit, this is a long term commitment that can deliver spectacular results even

in the depths of recession.

From 2011 to 2013 this approach delivered over 70€c/t profit improvement in one of our

member’s businesses, then in 2014 a further 0,12€c/t was delivered.

Summary

CI is a like peeling an onion: as each layer is removed more opportunity is created or revealed

Summary

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IQ Skills Wheel

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@IQ_UK

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