Case Study: Newcrest Mining Limited boosts haul truck productivity with Minitab

Newcrest Mining boosts truck speeds 2.6% with Minitab

Newcrest Mining Limited, one of the world's top gold producers, faced a challenge with the variability of its haul truck speeds at its Cadia Hill mine. Slow trucks on a narrow ramp were causing delays across the entire fleet, resulting in a serious loss of productivity. The company tasked a Six Sigma Black Belt to address the issue using Minitab Statistical Software.

Using Minitab, the team identified that ramp slope and faulty fuel injectors were key factors. They altered the ramp grade and implemented a new procedure to identify underperforming injectors. These solutions, analyzed and confirmed with Minitab, increased average truck speed by 2.6% and reduced speed variation by 7. The project allowed for one extra trip per truck per day and is anticipated to save Newcrest Mining over $835,000 in the first year.

Newcrest Mining Limited