Proper maintenance of mobile fleets on a mine site is as important as managing the fixed equipment to ensure maximum asset life for the mine. This is an area where, CBC, as a leading distributor of specialty cleaning products, draws on its longstanding relationship with CRC to provide aerosol and bulk lubricants, anti-corrosion and chemical maintenance products to major mines across Australia.
“Our mining clients rely on us to supply them a wide range of CRC products for maintenance of their mobile fleet,” says CBC Key Account Executive, Sinisa Petkovic. “One of our major mining clients in Western Australia goes through over a thousand CRC Brakleen® aerosol cans per month. They also regularly use the CRC Battery Terminal Protector, the CRC 5.56, the CRC Belt Grip and the CRC Trefolex cutting compound to maintain their mobile and fixed equipment.”
The popularity of CRC’s Brakleen aerosol, as CRC’s National Business Development Manager for Mining, David Bailey explain, comes from the multi-purpose applications of the de-greasing agent.
“Brakleen is a very common product in mines and even though it is manufactured primarily to be used for cleaning brakes and brake linings in light vehicles, their applications go beyond that. Most mines use Brakleen as a general-purpose cleaner and de-greaser to clean any piece of equipment.
“Brakleen is an evaporative de-greaser, so you just spray it on the area and leave it there. As the product evaporates, it takes any contaminant with it, without leaving any residue. If you compare it with old-style de-greasers that you would need to leave for over 15 minutes and then hose off, Brakleen is more effective and does the same task in only a couple of minutes,” says David.
CRC’s Brakleen family of brake and parts cleaners includes multiple variations of the de-greasing agent for different applications. These include the Brakleen Non-Flammable (NF), Brakleen Non-Chlorinated (NC), Brakleen Force, and the latest addition to the family: The Brakleen Water Based.
“As a responsible supplier of chemical products to the industry, we are always looking to help our customers gain access to safer and greener products. The new Brakleen Water Based is a biodegradable, non-toxic, non-hazardous, non-flammable, pH balanced, and water-soluble product that offers similar benefits as the other products in the Brakleen family and is especially suitable where there are restrictions in place concerning the types of products that can be safely used,” says David.
While the original CRC Brakleen was first developed in 1971, David says the product remains to be an industry leader today. “The popularity of Brakleen is closely followed by our CRC CO Contact Cleaner, which is another general-purpose cleaner and de-greaser. The CO Contact Cleaner is less aggressive than the Brakleen and is therefore suitable for cleaning electrical and electronic equipment.”
Apart from the popular Brakleen and CO Contact Cleaner, CRC also offers a wide range of other products that are widely used on the mine site for maintaining mobile and fixed assets.
The CRC Battery Terminal Protector aerosol is a popular product for protecting battery terminals from corrosion. CRC 5.56 is a multi-purpose lubricant for preventative maintenance and rust protection. CRC’s Belt Grip aerosol provides temporary, synthetic treatment for worn belts that extends belt life by reducing slippage. CRC’s Trefolex cutting paste help prolong the life of hand tools under frictional heat.
As with all chemical products, David says due attention should be given to reading the product datasheets and labels and following appropriate safety instructions, including the use of suitable personal protective equipment (PPEs).
“One of the biggest mistakes people make while dealing with chemical products is not reading the labels. This can mean that they end up using flammable products where they should use non-flammable or not paying attention to certain warnings regarding storage and handling.”
With a strong focus on helping mines meet their stringent health and safety regulation requirements, David says CRC representatives often join the CBC team to visit mine sites and help them optimise their stock of cleaning products.
“During site visits and chemical audits, CRC specialists accompany CBC representatives to mine sites, where we help eliminate redundancies in the mine’s chemical cabinets. For example, a mine might be using 20 different products from 12 different suppliers. By reducing that and bringing them under the umbrella of CBC-CRC partnership, we help the mine manage their mobile fleet and fixed assets more efficiently, while meeting their safety and environmental targets.”
