The mining industry stands as one of the backbones of the global economy. Yet behind its scale and productivity lies a silent and persistent enemy — the degradation of industrial assets.

Corrosion, abrasion, cavitation, and wall-thickness loss are among the leading causes of mechanical failures, unplanned shutdowns, and massive financial losses in mining operations.

⚙️ When Time and Ore Work Against Steel

Critical equipment such as mills, cyclones, slurry pipelines, and conveyors operate under extreme conditions — combining humidity, pressure, chemical exposure, and abrasive particles. This environment accelerates electrochemical corrosion and progressive wear, steadily eroding metallic surfaces.

According to the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP, 2023), the global cost of corrosion exceeds US$ 2.5 trillion annually, equivalent to 3.4% of the world’s GDP. Studies show that 15–40% of these costs could be avoided with adequate monitoring and protective strategies (ScienceDirect, 2019).

A study published in Brazil’s Revista Escola de Minas (REMI) analyzed an iron-ore slurry pipeline in operation since 1977, identifying internal corrosion and magnetite tubercles that increased roughness and reduced transport efficiency — a clear example of how invisible damage leads to measurable losses.

🛑 Real Cases and Their Consequences

Several real-world incidents highlight the operational risks of asset degradation:

🔹 In 2025, at the Mantoverde Mine (Chile), Capstone Copper reported a temporary production interruption caused by the failure of the ball mill drive motors. 🔹 At Canada’s Rice Lake Complex (2012), a pinion and motor failure forced the plant to halt processing (Canadian Mining Journal).

Although not always directly linked to corrosion, these cases illustrate how progressive wear and lack of preventive maintenance can trigger costly unplanned shutdowns.

⚠️ The Domino Effect of Neglect

A single corroded point or micro-crack can escalate into leaks, contamination, pressure loss, and safety hazards. Beyond the direct costs, there are indirect impacts — reduced productivity, unplanned downtime, and damaged reliability in the eyes of stakeholders and investors.

🔧 Modern Solutions that Change the Game

Today’s industrial engineering offers advanced methods to prevent, mitigate, and repair corrosion and wear-related failures:

1️⃣ Preventive and predictive maintenanceusing ultrasound, vibration, and thermographic inspection.

2️⃣ Scheduled component replacement, especially in high-abrasion areas like chutes and elbows.

3️⃣ High-performance epoxy systems, based on metallic, ceramic, and viscoelastic compounds, now play a crucial role in asset protection.

🟢 Metal-filled epoxiesrebuild corroded surfaces and restore lost thickness.

🟢 Ceramic epoxy coatings, offer exceptional resistance to abrasion and impact.

🟢 Viscoelastic tapes provide flexible, long-lasting anti-corrosion barriers for buried and submerged pipelines.

Studies from FLSmidth (2023) and MDPI (2024) confirm that such technologies significantly reduce surface wear, extend component life, and enhance system reliability — with measurable operational and financial benefits.

✅ Conclusion

Corrosion and abrasion will always be part of mining reality. But with strategic maintenance, technical planning, and advanced epoxy-based solutions, companies can turn potential losses into efficiency, reliability, and long-term sustainability.

In modern mining, asset integrity is not just maintenance — it’s the foundation of operational success.

Maxepoxy is dedicated to customized solutions for the challenges of the mining industry.