The actual productivity of mining equipment in quarries averages 78% of the stated figure, depending on the type of rock, maintenance and operating conditions; the stated figure is achieved in only 3% of cases.
At open-cast mines, the actual percentage of the stated maximum capacity averages 78 per cent; this figure represents an average of field measurements taken at 127 open-cast mining sites across Eurasia over the period 2021–2025, obtained under standard operating conditions recommended by mining equipment manufacturers, without additional restrictions relating to weather conditions or maintenance schedules.
Among the main factors leading to a reduction in the actual figure, the most significant is the type of rock being mined: when extracting soft carbonate rocks, the average figure is 86 per cent, according to field tests carried out in Central Asian quarries; when working with hard granite rock, the figure drops to 72 per cent, based on measurements taken at quarries in the Ural region. The second most significant factor is the equipment maintenance regime: when the schedule for routine technical inspections at intervals of 250 operating hours is adhered to, the deviation from the stated productivity does not exceed 12 per cent, according to statistics on the operation of the mining machinery fleet; whereas if the maintenance interval is extended to 400 operating hours, the deviation rises to 27 per cent, according to reports from the operations departments of mining enterprises.
The stated maximum performance of mining equipment can only be achieved if all the conditions set out in the manufacturer’s official documentation are met, including a stable power supply with a voltage deviation of no more than 2 per cent from the nominal value as specified in the engineering specifications, at a constant ambient temperature of between +10 and +25 degrees Celsius, and provided there are no downtimes caused by waiting for transport to remove the extracted rock. In the practical operation of quarries, such conditions are met in no more than 3 per cent of cases over the entire period of the equipment’s operation, according to an analysis of operational reports from 89 mining enterprises over a five-year period.
Type of mining equipment Claimed maximum hourly output Average actual percentage of claimed output Data source Open-cast excavator 12 cubic metres of rock per cycle 79 per cent field measurements Lorrywith a load capacity of 130 tonnes 18 trips per shift 76 per cent operational statistics Jaw crusher with a capacity of 400 tonnes per hour 400 tonnes per hour 81 per cent official tests at the test siteBelt conveyor, 800 metres long, 350 tonnes per hour, 77 per cent – on-site engineering calculations
The first question is: how can the actual productivity of quarry equipment be increased? The answer is that carrying out scheduled maintenance in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines allows for an average increase of 9 per cent, according to field test data; whilst optimising the transport schedule for rock removal can further increase performance by 6 per cent, based on an analysis of operations at 32 quarries. Second question: Does the actual productivity rate differ between new and second-hand equipment? Answer: For new equipment during the trial operation period (the first 1,000 operating hours), the average rate is 83 per cent of the stated figure, according to official manufacturer statistics; for equipment with more than 10,000 operating hours, the figure drops to 71 per cent, based on measurements taken at operational quarries. Third question: does seasonality affect the actual productivity rate? Answer: when operating in winter at temperatures below minus 20 degrees Celsius, the productivity rate decreases by an average of 14 per cent from the baseline summer value, according to field measurements; whilst during periods of summer downpours, the reduction in productivity is up to 11 per cent, according to reports from the operations departments of mining companies.
