Behind the machines: What it really takes to keep mining equipment running 24/7

When mines evaluate rental equipment, one of the first questions is usually: “How many hours are on the machine?”

It’s a logical place to start, but in a 24/7 mining environment, it’s rarely the deciding factor. Low-hour machinery may look appealing on paper, yet reliability, uptime, and real cost efficiency are determined by far more than an hour meter.

The real story lies behind the machines at Strata Mining Services.

Uptime is built through maintenance, not luck

Maintaining mining rental equipment for continuous operations comes down to two critical goals at Strata Technical Services: maximising Mean Time Between Shutdowns (MTBS) and minimising Mean Time to Repair (MTTR), without ever compromising workmanship.

“Preventative maintenance is the foundation,” says Callie Els, Strata Technical Services Director. “Strict service intervals and disciplined adherence to maintenance requirements are non-negotiable in mining. But modern maintenance goes beyond scheduled servicing.”

For the Strata Team, condition monitoring, such as oil analysis, plays a vital role in predicting failures before they become catastrophic. By identifying early warning signs, our highly skilled maintenance teams can intervene during planned downtime, avoiding unplanned stoppages that impact production and safety.

Fast, reliable support makes the difference

Even the best-maintained equipment can experience breakdowns. This is where response time and readiness matter the most.

Strata’s technical support is available around the clock. Fast response times, fully equipped service vehicles, and trained technical teams ensure repairs are completed efficiently and correctly. Downtime targets, whether contractual or internal, only work when teams have the tools, skills, and authority to act immediately.

“Spare parts availability is equally critical,” adds Callie. “Lost production time due to parts shortages is simply not acceptable. At Strata, our focus is placed on strong supplier relationships and holding critical components in stock to ensure repairs happen immediately, not eventually.”

Operational insight also plays a key role. Strata’s experienced operators are trained to detect early signs of issues before failures occur. Clear, daily communication between operations and maintenance teams allows problems to be addressed proactively, preventing costly breakdowns.

Spec’ing equipment for harsh mining conditions

One of the most common misconceptions in equipment rental is that machines are “standard”.

Proper equipment specification starts with a physical site inspection. “This is critical to make the correct assessment,” says Callie. We don’t rely on photos, videos, or assumptions. Crucial factors such as underfoot conditions, haul road quality, gradients, material density, cycle times, dust levels, and temperature all influence how a machine should be configured.”

Strata’s equipment is spec’d to handle the worst operating day, not the average one. Tyres, work tools, cooling systems, and protective measures are all selected based on site severity and material characteristics. A machine that is correctly spec’d from the outset delivers higher uptime and a longer service life.

Terrain, contracts, and custom specifications

Different terrains and contracts bring different risks and demands. For example, loader buckets vary between coal operations and iron ore operations. These differences directly affect productivity, wear rates, and fuel efficiency.

“At Strata Mining Services, our mining rental equipment is custom specified for each customer, mine, and contract. This upfront planning ensures equipment is productive from day one and remains reliable throughout the contract period,” adds Callie.

The costly mistakes mines still make

A common mistake when renting heavy equipment is focusing solely on daily rates instead of overall productivity.

The true cost of equipment lies in reliability, fuel efficiency, suitability for the task, and most importantly, cost per ton or per hour. Cheaper equipment that suffers downtime often costs far more in lost production.

Another mistake is treating equipment selection as a procurement decision rather than an operational one. Successful equipment selection requires input from operations, maintenance, and planning teams.

The takeaway

Low-hour machinery can be attractive, but hours alone don’t guarantee performance.

In mining, reliability is built through maintenance discipline, site-specific specification, and rapid support. This is where the collaboration between Strata Mining Services and Strata Technical Services adds immeasurable value.

Contact us for an assessment of your work site and let us help you with mining equipment rental and maintenance solutions.