Most African mining sites are located away from the targeted companies. Therefore, mining companies use trucks to transform minerals to their destinations. Similarly, there are also small machines such as generators in the mining sites that use fuels. Therefore, having the right amount of fuel is crucial in keeping mining activities efficient. Automated fuel management allows mining companies to use technology to monitor fuel use.
The process considers all activities that require fuel both as an alternative or the primary source of energy. The fuel should be enough for all the movements and machinery obligations relying on fuel. Mining companies coordinate with fuel-generating firms to ensure that there is a steady fuel flow. Most mining firms use fuel in large amounts. As a result, these companies purchase straight from the oil companies.
Most middle and small-scale miners may use fuels from nearby retailers. Therefore, when these retailers have insufficient fuel, mining activities may be compromised. Stopping mining activities due to lack of enough fuel is a loss to the mining company. Automatizing fuel management is an effort to avoid losses and time wastage associated with paralyzed activities due to fuel insufficiency.
Fuel has domestic and industrial use. Thus, in Africa fuel is consumed more than any other mineral. The delay from the mining companies to take enough fuel to facilitate their operations may lead to downtime which affects the mine’s returns. The small mining operations in Africa may rely on their traditional fuel management criteria. Unfortunately, most traditional fuel management protocols have flaws that compromise accuracy. A good fuel management system should automate the fuel dispensing operation in an organization, reducing fuel loss and the operational and administrative workload.
Read: Maximising Mining Returns with Automated Weighing Systems
Real time monitoring
The principal advantages of a real time system are that site operation can be monitored in real time, stock figures are always current, and, with integrated tank gauging, fuel theft from tanks and short deliveries can be identified immediately. The principal advantages of a web-based system are that information is easily made available to all interested parties, allowing all to run reports and investigate issues. Data is viewable not only by the user, but by support staff, so that any issues are resolved quickly with a phone call. There are no compatibility issues with software as only a web browser is required to view data. Software may be centrally updated to the advantage of all.
At the end of the day a good fluid automated management system needs to offer easy control and management of fuel and lubricant supplies. It should assist managers with timely information regarding the dispensing of fluids process and stock delivery process.
