In today’s African mining sector, reliability has become a daily challenge rather than a maintenance metric. Teams work in environments where equipment rarely gets a break, conditions shift without warning and even routine tasks carry operational risk. As pressure grows to improve uptime, reduce water use and enhance safety performance, mines are re-evaluating how well their critical assets meet the demands placed on them, says mechanical seals and support systems supplier John Crane.

Building Insight
A key development in improving equipment reliability is the growing use of condition monitoring. Real-time data provides operators with direct visibility into equipment behaviour by tracking vibration, temperature and pressure. Early warnings enable maintenance teams to act before problems escalate, thereby preventing failures that would otherwise halt production.

“Remote access to asset information reduces the need for manual inspections in hazardous areas, enabling teams to monitor multiple sites from a central location. As mines expand their digital capabilities, condition monitoring becomes a practical way to reduce downtime, improve workforce safety and align maintenance planning with the actual condition of equipment,” explains the company.

Improving Water Quality
Water contamination remains one of the most common causes of premature mechanical seal damage in mining. Particles carried in gland water can enter seal chambers, accelerating wear, increasing leakage and forcing more frequent maintenance.

“Compact, automatic in-line filtration provides a direct solution. Systems that remove solids before they reach the seal help operators stabilise performance, cut water use and reduce the risk of unplanned shutdowns. Because these units operate without moving parts and require minimal intervention, they are well-suited for remote sites and facilities with limited maintenance resources,” elaborates John Crane.

Handling Harsh Slurry Conditions
Abrasive slurry environments subject mechanical seals to intense stress. High solids loading, fluctuating pressures and corrosive process fluids cause rapid face wear and frequent failures when seals are not designed for abrasive service, stresses the company.

Advanced slurry seals address these demands by improving wear resistance, tolerating misalignment and reducing the need for external flush water. A longer seal life directly reduces the maintenance workload and improves pump availability. For operations that handle tailings, cyclone feeds or mill discharge, robust sealing becomes a crucial factor in maintaining process stability.

Using Innovative Face Technologies
The mechanical seal face design plays a crucial role in ensuring reliability and sustainability. Traditional seal faces often wear unevenly in abrasive environments, which increases heat generation and distorts the fluid film. This shortens the mean time between repair and raises water consumption, says John Crane.

“Advanced coatings, including diamond-like carbon treatments, significantly improve hardness and reduce friction. These technologies help seals run cooler and last longer, cutting the frequency of interventions, and reduce energy use. Mines adopting these face technologies often achieve measurable reductions in water intake, pump power consumption and maintenance exposure.”

Strengthening Power Transmission
Couplings have a significant influence on the reliability of the entire drivetrain, highlights John Crane. High-performance disc couplings transfer torque with precision while accommodating misalignment and reducing stress on shafts, bearings and seals. Their all-metal, maintenance-free construction suits remote locations and high-duty applications such as slurry pumps, mixers and agitators.

By reducing vibration and protecting surrounding components, these couplings help maintain stable process conditions and lower lifecycle costs.

Enhancing System Resilience
Elastomeric couplings play a crucial role in absorbing shock loads and mitigating unavoidable misalignment. Their flexible elements protect equipment against sudden torque spikes, reduce vibration and simplify maintenance because they operate without the need for lubrication.

“These features are valuable in crushing, grinding, dewatering and conveying, where heavy impacts and constant movement challenge system stability. Their ability to streamline maintenance and lower consumable use also aligns with sustainability goals across the continent,” advises John Crane.

Supporting Local Development
Reliability and sustainability improvements work best when supported by strong local capability. Transformation initiatives, including broad-based black economic- empowerment programmes in South Africa, help expand workforce skills, promote inclusive supply chains and create opportunities for the youth entering the mining sector. These commitments strengthen the long-term resilience of mining communities and ensure customers benefit from broader economic participation, says John Crane.

Mining’s future depends on technology, people and partnerships. Operators who invest in reliable sealing, coupling and filtration technologies, and support digital condition monitoring, can help reduce downtime, cut water use and improve safety. By combining technical expertise with local capability, John Crane says partners such as itself help mines across Africa achieve more efficient, resilient and sustainable operations.