Analysis of operating costs in small-scale mining and artisanal mining in Nambija

Abstract

In the development of the mining activity in small mining and artisanal mining in Ecuadorian in several cases a record of the services performed is not carried out of investment in contrast with the economic recovery achieved. The objective of this work has focused on the services in each task in the work cycle at work in the sector of Nambija, in order to highlight the work in which the task of drilling, blasting, ventilation, untie is performed, cleaning of the work front, loading and transport of the arranged material that worked in a mining work cycle. In the analysis of costs has been considered the number of mining workers who perform each task and how much they receive in salary per day, or per task performed, the time they take to carry out this activity, the machinery and equipment they use; the quantity and capacity, the consumption of energy, fuels, lubricants per hour of operation, their spare parts and repairs, the inputs such as water, air and energy connections used and their costs and auxiliary tasks applied before or after the task to develop. In estimating the hourly costs of the equipment (a) indirect or property costs: amortization and insurance, and (b) direct operating costs: consumption of electric power, fuel, lubricants, greases and filters, repairs, tires or elements of greater wear, salary of operators or workers. The three mining works analyzed in the sector of Nambija correspond: to an artisanal mine that develops works on a single front, they rent a diesel compressor to connect a hammer driller to execute the works, they have basic and limited equipment —almost do not have spare parts— , has small capacity wagons of 0.75 to 1 ton, the mine staff performs several activities simultaneously and the perceived salary is the lowest in the sector, the second mining work analyzed is characterized by trying to execute small mining works in one and maximum two working fronts already has a diesel own compressor to connect two drilling hammers simultaneously, they have personnel dedicated to perform specific tasks, has wagons of capacity 1 ton, and the third mining work perform activities of small mining, work in two and three fronts —when they get good material—, they have their own electric compressor C On ability to connect 3 drilling hammers simultaneously, have wagons of 2 and up to 3 tons capacity and have personnel to perform specific activities in each job. As a result of the analysis of the operating costs, we have the cost for each task of the mining work cycle in dollars / hour (USD/h) and the percentage (%) of each activity based on the total cost, information that is used to compare the economic behavior of three types of mining work in artisanal mining and small mining.