In the mining industry, the “Invoice Price” of a protective coating represents less than 20% of the true project cost. The remaining 80% is hidden in the clock.
As a lean manager, I view every hour an asset sits idle as “Muda” (Waste), specifically, the waste of waiting.
If your plant processes $50,000 of ore per hour, a three-day shutdown for an epoxy cure doesn’t cost you the $10,000 for the product. it costs you $3.6 Million in lost production.
By using Tufflon (a Rapid-Set Pure Polyurea), we shift the maintenance window into the “shadow” of a standard scheduled inspection. If the application and cure happen within a 12-hour shift change, your Opportunity Cost is zero.
In a Six Sigma framework, the most efficient process is one that does not interrupt the “Value Stream.” In mining, that means the ideal maintenance window is one that fits entirely within a scheduled production lull, making the repair effectively invisible to the rest of the operation.
Traditional coatings (Epoxies/Rubber) are intrusive. They require the site to stay “down” long after the technicians have packed up, simply waiting for the chemistry to catch up with the schedule.
With Tufflon Polyurea, we shift the paradigm. Because the system gels in seconds and achieves structural integrity in under two hours, we can execute a full-scale rehabilitation between the last truck of the day and the first truck of the morning.
As an estimator and project lead, I know that the longer a coating stays “wet,” the higher the risk of failure. In a 24-hour epoxy cure, you are at the mercy of:
The Six Sigma Edge: By using a system that cures in minutes, we statistically eliminate the window of opportunity for environmental contamination. We “lock in” the quality of the surface prep immediately.
When I estimate a project using Tufflon Polyurea, I am not just quoting liters of product. I am quoting certainty.
Key takeaway: If you can’t see the maintenance, it didn’t cost you production. That is the definition of a Lean industrial workflow.
From a Six Sigma perspective, we prioritise “Critical to Quality” (CTQ) areas, the zones where a failure doesn’t just cause a mess, it stops the entire value stream. These are the applications where Tufflon’s rapid-set, high-tenacity properties outperform everything else.
In these vessels, Tufflon acts as a Chemical Barrier.
The Goal: Prevent the acidic or alkaline “liquor” from reaching the steel or concrete substrate.
Why Tufflon: Epoxies are prone to “micro-cracking” under the thermal stress of leaching reactions. Tufflon’s “tough-elastic” nature handles the heat and the chemicals simultaneously.
In thickeners, Tufflon acts as a Dynamic Membrane.
The Goal: Total containment of massive water/slurry volumes and protection against concrete carbonation.
Why Tufflon: Large-diameter thickeners move. If a coating can’t stretch over a 2mm moving crack, the tank leaks, the soil erodes, and the foundation is compromised. Tufflon’s high elongation is the “insurance policy” for the tank’s structural integrity.
The Goal: To create a “zero-leak” environment that meets 2026 environmental compliance standards. The objective is to ensure that any primary vessel failure is contained within a seamless, impermeable basin, protecting the surrounding soil and groundwater.
Why Tufflon: Tufflon acts as a dynamic, liquid-tight skin. Because of its high elongation and tensile strength, it can bridge existing and new cracks in the concrete or any substrate. It turns a porous structure into a monolithic “plastic bowl.” Tufflon is engineered to withstand most harsh chemicals found in mining circuits. It offers seamless geometry. Tufflon is spray-applied, meaning it effortlessly seals complex areas like pipe penetrations, plinths, and 90-degree corners where sheet-lining or hand-applied coatings typically fail.
The Goal: To maximise “Value Stream Velocity” by reducing friction, preventing atmospheric corrosion, and eliminating “carry-back” (material sticking to equipment).
Mining equipment faces two silent profit-killers: Friction and Corrosion. 1. In Tippers/Truck Trays: Wet or clay-heavy ore sticks to the steel (Carry-back). This means a 40-tonne truck might only be hauling 35 tonnes of new ore because 5 tonnes is “stuck” to the bottom. In Conveyors, the constant “splash” of slurry and dust creates a micro-environment of accelerated corrosion on the steel frames and pulleys, leading to frequent, unplanned maintenance stops.
Tufflon transforms the surface properties of the equipment.
