Mining & Minerals Processing: Preventing Agitator Belt Failure and Avoiding a $70,000 Sand-Out Event with Industrial Matrix Condition Monitoring

A major gold mining operation avoided a multi-week tank sand-out
event when ultrasound condition monitoring, connected into the
Industrial Matrix AI Suite™ ecosystem, detected a developing belt
issue shortly after a gearbox service. 
Early identification allowed the team to intervene immediately,
preventing an extended outage and capturing approximately
$70,000 in cost avoidance.

The Challenge

Agitators are critical to mineral processing performance. After a routine gearbox replacement:

New belts were installed
Bearings appeared stable
Within days, ultrasound readings began to rise - a precise indicator of abnormal friction

The risk profile was significant:

3-week downtime for tank cleanout
Component damage to bearings, belts, and gearbox
Heat buildup near chemical processes
Estimated financial impact: ≈ $70,000

A subtle post-maintenance issue, if missed, would have escalated into a high-severity production event.

The Solution - Ultrasound Monitoring
Integrated Into the Industrial Matrix AI
Suite™ Ecosystem

Ultrasound sensors were installed on the agitator bearings and connected into the Industrial Matrix AI Suite™ ecosystem, enabling continuous friction insight, immediate anomaly alerts, and expert interpretation from Industrial Matrix reliability specialists.
This connected approach delivered clear visibility, rapid diagnosis, and precise corrective action, with zero disruption to production.

Findings & Action Plan

Phase	Insight	Action	Result
Detection	Ultrasound amplitude and friction levels spiked days after belt installation.	Abnormal behavior flagged through the connected ecosystem.	Early warning before mechanical symptoms appeared.
Diagnosis	Thermal increase paired with rising ultrasound signatures consistent with belt over-tension.	Reliability experts confirmed the root cause.	Accurate, actionable diagnosis.
Intervention	Belt tension adjusted to OEM specification.	Maintenance corrected the issue immediately.	Mechanical stress normalized.
Verification	Ultrasound returned to baseline (0.22–0.30 in/sec).	Stability confirmed through connected monitoring.	Failure mode fully eliminated.

Total ROI

Metric	Before Monitoring	After Intervention	Impact
Downtime Exposure	3-week sand-out	Prevented	$60,000 saved
Component Loss	Bearings + barrel ≈ $10,000	Avoided	$10,000 saved
Total Cost Avoidance	-	$70,000	Verified
Predictive Confidence	Manual checks only	Ultrasound + expert review	100% correlation

Strategic Insights

Ultrasound identified friction-related deterioration far earlier than conventional indicators.

The connected ecosystem enabled fast, precise decision-making immediately after maintenance.

Stable kneader operation preserved dough quality and production timing.

Verified accuracy supported both maintenance and leadership alignment on corrective action.

Long-Term Impact

The success of this event led the site to expand Industrial Matrix
monitoring across additional agitators, crushers, pumps, and
conveyors.  Benefits included:

Fewer reactive work orders

Extended component life

Higher uptime confidence across production

Predictive maintenance integrated into operational planning

Industrial Matrix now anchors the mine’s reliability strategy through
a unified, connected ecosystem.

Conclusion

Ultrasound condition monitoring integrated into the Industrial Matrix AI Suite™ ecosystem enabled the mining operation to detect a hidden post-maintenance defect, prevent a sand-out event, and deliver a verified $70,000 ROI. This case demonstrates the power of real-time visibility and expert-validated condition intelligence in heavy industrial environments.

Strengthen uptime. Eliminate
preventable failures. Operate with
clarity.

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