A Metso LT300HP mobile cone crusher owned and operated by Danoher Group, a leading mining contractor in southern Africa, has clocked more than 30,000 hours and counting.

Acquired in 2012, the Metso LT300HP mobile cone crusher is currently deployed at a job in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, where Danoher Group is contracted to produce 350,000 tonnes of road stone.

Previously, the machine has been deployed on some flagship projects in South Africa and Botswana. In the past 12 years, the machine has been in Botswana on four occasions, where it executed some major projects at flagship mines such as Debswana’s Orapa diamond mine and Khoemacau, a long-life copper-silver mine located on the Kalahari Copper Belt. In addition, it has also been deployed at Danoher’s own Kgale Quarry in Gaborone.

With just over 30,000 hours on the clock, the machine is one of the several Metso units in Danoher’s crushing and screening fleet with such a long lifespan. In fact, says CEO Scott Danoher, the company has neither retired nor scrapped a single unit in the past 15 years, shining the spotlight on its drive to achieve extended operational lifecycles out of its capital assets and a testament to the quality of the Metso products.

Danoher Group places value on several factors when investing in capital equipment, such as standardisation of equipment and relationships with suppliers. However, one of the principle factors that informs the company’s buying decisions is equipment longevity. While there are various elements that influence longevity, Danoher stresses that the fundamental ‘raw material’ is the design of the machine, which is why the company trusts Metso for its comminution equipment needs.

“We do not necessarily buy a crusher or a screen, for example, for whatever amount, we buy the number of hours that the machine gives us,” Danoher says. “For us, it is also not about the price tag, it is more about the cost per tonne or cost per hour – ‘cradle to grave’, which is a totally different approach. We are prepared to pay a premium upfront in exchange for, say, 30,000 trouble-free hours out of our crushing equipment.”

By sticking to a trusted brand like Metso and Pilot Crushtec as well as implementing proactive maintenance strategies, Danoher Group not only extends the operational lifespan of its capital assets, but also optimises equipment performance, minimises downtime and reduces costs to ensure smooth and efficient operations, it says.

“Proper maintenance and care throughout the lifespan of equipment significantly contribute to its longevity,” Danoher says. “To get the best out of our maintenance efforts, we largely use Metso OEM parts and spares from Pilot Crushtec International.”

Over the years, Danoher Group and Pilot Crushtec, the Metso dealer in southern Africa, have built a strong working relationship.

“Relationships play a crucial role in what we buy. For us, Pilot Crushtec are more than just suppliers: they have become trusted business partners,” Danoher concludes.