Tackling mining’s maintenance skills crisis

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I&C February 2026 Motion Control & Drives

As Africa’s mining industry faces mounting pressure from skills shortages, safety compliance demands, and rising downtime costs, FUCHS LUBRICANTS SOUTH AFRICA is taking significant strides to address one of the sector’s most pressing issues: the erosion of maintenance capability on the ground.

Dave Gons. national mining manager, Fuchs Lubricants South Africa.

At Mining Indaba 2026, the company showcased how its combination of industry knowledge, onsite specialist support and condition-based lubrication services is helping mines boost equipment reliability, improve safety performance, and stabilise operational performance in an increasingly constrained skills environment.

With a skills shortage across fitters, artisans, engineers and maintenance specialists, mining companies face rising costs, safety compliance pressures and workforce turnover that directly undermines operational uptime. These shortages remain a significant constraint on productivity and long-term competitiveness across the sector.

“Even with the best equipment and premium lubricants, success depends on proper application. When teams understand how to use these solutions effectively, that’s when performance and reliability truly shine,” says national mining manager, Dave Gons.

The maintenance skills gap is an operational risk

Insufficient practical experience and relevant qualifications have direct implications for routine activities, like lubrication management, which many operators still consider a low-priority task despite its widely acknowledged impact on equipment performance.

Industry studies show that improper lubrication practices are responsible for a significant portion of premature equipment failures, with estimates indicating that up to 40% of bearing failures and related maintenance issues result from lubrication mismanagement and associated contamination or errors. These failures not only curtail uptime, but also amplify safety risks, from overheating and fire hazards to unexpected stoppages and mechanical seizure.

Key solutions showcased by FUCHS at Mining Indaba 2026 included:

• Root-cause analysis services for lubrication-related failures, offering actionable insights and preventive strategies tailored to specific mine environments.

• Standardised lubrication schedules and contamination control frameworks that help streamline maintenance efforts for slimmed-down teams.

• Hands-on support and coaching from condition monitoring and oil analysis to tailored lubrication systems that drive measurable improvements in reliability and safety.

In South Africa’s mining landscape, the intersection of skills shortages, safety compliance imperatives and reliability pressures has made lubrication training and on-site technical support essential. With a commitment to sustainability, efficiency, and partnership, FUCHS supports mining and industrial operations in achieving peak performance through expert guidance, tailored solutions and trusted collaboration.

For more information contact Fuchs Lubricants South Africa,+27 11 565 9738, [email protected], www.fuchs.com/za

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Tackling mining’s maintenance skills crisis

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