Lubrication in the mining sector
Lubrication in the mining sector – Driven by the demand for critical minerals, which are essential for the energy transition, digitalization, and electric mobility, the mining sector is faced with the challenge of maintaining high levels of productivity and asset availability, while also facing pressures for environmental performance and operational safety.
In this scenario, lubricants are no longer treated as peripheral consumption items. Today, their technical function is strategic, directly influencing equipment performance, maintenance costs, energy efficiency, and environmental compliance of operations. In an environment characterized by large load volumes, extreme temperatures and severe operating conditions, lubrication management becomes decisive to ensure the integrity of assets and the sustainability of operations.
Expanding mining demands operational reliability
The Brazilian mining sector has been registering sustained growth. According to the Brazilian Mining Institute (Ibram), mining companies’ revenue in the country reached R$270.9 billion in 2024, an increase of 9.1% compared to the previous year. This increase reflects not only the appreciation of commodities, but also the expansion of projects aimed at extracting essential minerals.
This new context imposes an additional demand on maintenance engineering, which needs to increase asset availability without compromising the safety or useful life of components. Lubrication, in this sense, fulfills a technical and strategic role. The correct application of the appropriate lubricant significantly increases equipment availability. However, when included in an integrated asset management program, it becomes a competitive advantage with a direct impact on productivity.
Technical evolution of lubricants for the mining sector
Historically, conventional lubricants have been widely used in mining, mainly due to their accessibility and availability. However, with the intensification of operating regimes and the increasing use of large machines and automated systems, high-performance lubricants have been gaining ground. With better protection characteristics, these formulations ensure greater durability and lower consumption, in addition to allowing longer change intervals.
In environments with sudden temperature changes or contamination by suspended particles, common characteristics in mining, high-performance lubricants prove particularly effective. In addition to protecting critical components, such as bearings, gears, hydraulic systems, motors, pins, bushings and reducers, they also contribute to energy efficiency, since they reduce mechanical losses due to friction.
New vector of lubrication
The growing adoption of ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) criteria by mining companies has driven profound changes in the management of industrial inputs. Among them, the preference for biodegradable and less toxic lubricants has been intensifying.
According to projections by the consultancy Grand View Research, the global market for biodegradable lubricants is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 4.5% until 2028, driven by stricter regulations and corporate commitments to carbon and circular economy targets.
In the operational field, this translates into stricter policies for the disposal and reprocessing of used lubricants, investments in laboratory analysis to control contamination, and greater care with the transportation, storage, and application of products. Lubrication, therefore, ceases to be an isolated process and becomes part of a value chain that involves logistics, the environment, occupational safety, and compliance.
Intelligent lubrication management
The advance of industrial digitalization has also brought important innovations to the lubrication area. Remote monitoring systems, on-board sensors, and predictive maintenance software allow real-time monitoring of critical parameters of lubricants in operation, such as viscosity, presence of contaminants, thermal degradation, and varnish formation. This makes it possible to schedule interventions even before the failure manifests itself, drastically reducing the risk of unplanned shutdowns.
In addition to monitoring, the technical training of maintenance teams continues to be a determining factor for the success of any lubrication program. Correct product selection, compliance with standardized procedures, and periodic analysis of the oil in use are essential practices to ensure that the lubricant acts with maximum efficiency.
This requires an integrated approach, involving engineering, supplies, operations and the environment, as well as a close relationship with suppliers that offer specialized technical support and customized service.
Long-term vision
In mining, each unscheduled shutdown represents a considerable loss. In many cases, the failure of a single component can compromise the entire production line. And one of the most common causes of these failures continues to be inadequate lubrication, whether due to incorrect product selection, contamination, poorly defined change intervals or lack of monitoring.
On the other hand, when well planned and executed, the lubrication strategy generates concrete value. It contributes to the longevity of assets, reduces the consumption of spare parts, improves environmental indicators, and reinforces team safety. In a sector with increasingly pressured margins, every efficiency gain counts, and lubrication is often the difference between a robust operation and a chain vulnerable to avoidable failures.
Given the current demands of the mining sector, lubrication needs to be treated as a strategic discipline, integrated with asset management and companies’ ESG policies. Investing in high-performance lubrication solutions, combined with digitalization and technical training, means investing in productivity, predictability and sustainability. For a sector seeking to reinvent itself in the face of global challenges, this is an equation that cannot be ignored.
By: Carlos Muchao – Commercial Manager of the Mining and Cement Divisions of FUCHS Lubricants
