PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE IN MINING: FROM DATA TO DECISIONS

Implementing predictive maintenance in mining doesn’t require a massive overhaul, it requires a structured journey from raw data to informed action. A proven roadmap includes four key stages:

1. Connect and Contextualize the Data

PdM starts with the integration of key data sources such as:

• Sensor and vibration data

• SCADA and PLC signals

• PI System / historian data

• Maintenance logs and CMMS

• OEM recommendations

• Process KPIs

Contextualization, knowing which data belongs to which asset and under which operating conditions, is essential. Without context, data remains noise.

2. Build Asset Health Models

Once data is organized, engineers define:

• Asset hierarchies

• Failure modes and effects

• Health indicators and performance thresholds

• Process and operational dependencies

This step creates a foundation for early understanding of degradation patterns.

3. Apply Analytics and Machine Learning

Advanced analytics transform asset health models into predictive tools. These techniques help identify:

• Anomalies in equipment behavior

• Degradation trends

• Remaining useful life (RUL)

• Leading indicators of failure

This is where organizations shift from simply monitoring data to diagnosing and forecasting.

4. Turn Insights Into Action

Predictions only drive value when they are connected to operations and maintenance workflows. This includes:

• Automated alerts

• Integration with CMMS for work orders

• Visual dashboards for reliability teams

• Root cause analysis

• Continuous improvement cycles

Scaling these insights across multiple sites creates a shared operational intelligence that benefits the entire mining enterprise.

A Realistic Example: Avoiding a Critical Failure

Consider a common mining asset: a conveyor pulley bearing. Failures in this component can halt production for hours or days.

By integrating vibration readings, temperature data, and runtime patterns into an asset model, a mining operator detected abnormal bearing behavior weeks before failure. Maintenance planners scheduled an intervention during a noncritical production window, avoiding a costly outage and ensuring continued plant reliability.

This is the power of predictive maintenance: transforming avoided failures into measurable operational savings.

Scaling Predictive Maintenance Across the Organization

The long-term success of predictive maintenance depends not only on technology but also on people and processes. Mining organizations that scale PdM effectively invest in:

• Data governance and standardization

• Integration between operations, maintenance, and IT/OT

• Training and upskilling of maintenance and reliability teams

• Standard asset templates to replicate models across sites

• Change management to embed new decision workflows

Predictive maintenance is not a one-time project, it is a continuous journey of improving reliability and operational performance.

Conclusion: Predictive Maintenance as a Strategic Advantage

Mining companies do not need more data—they need better decisions. Predictive maintenance empowers organizations to transform data into foresight, foresight into decisions, and decisions into sustainable value.

When supported by the right digital foundation, analytics capabilities, and operational alignment, PdM becomes a key driver of safer, more efficient, and more resilient mining operations.

How Radix Can Help

Radix partners with mining companies to design, implement, and scale predictive maintenance programs across all operational levels, from data architecture and asset modeling to advanced analytics and enterprise deployment.

If you’re looking to accelerate your predictive maintenance journey, our experts can help guide the transition from reactive to predictive operations.

Ready to turn data into action? Radix helps mining teams catch problems before they happen, boost efficiency, and make smarter operational decisions. See how our metals and mining solutions can transform your operations. 

Learn more about Radix Metals and Mining  

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About Radix  

Founded in 2010, Radix is a privately held technology solutions and services company operating globally, empowering customers with consulting, engineering, operations technology, and digital solutions. Radix combines key capabilities and practices to enable our worldwide customers to thrive in their technology journey. With North American headquarters in Houston, TX, and headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, including offices in São Paulo and Belo Horizonte, Radix provides technology-based, data-driven solutions to asset-intensive industries. Radix's robust capabilities extend to more than 30 countries worldwide. Learn more: www.radixeng.com 

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