Fasteners for the Mining Industry
In short: Mining equipment runs under constant vibration, heavy loads and corrosion, so fastener failures quickly mean downtime. Vibration-resistant lockbolts, correctly specified hardware and proper installation tools keep critical joints secure.
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Mining supplies the raw materials behind almost every other industry: metals, minerals, coal and the energy that powers them. It also puts equipment under some of the harshest conditions anywhere. Every haul truck, crusher, conveyor and screen depends on thousands of fasteners, and when one fails the cost is rarely just the part: it is the downtime, the lost production and the safety risk.
Where fasteners are used in mining
- Heavy machinery assembly: excavators, dozers, haul trucks and loaders rely on high-strength fasteners for structural integrity.
- Processing plant: crushers, mills, vibrating screens and chutes are held together by fasteners that must withstand constant vibration and impact.
- Materials handling: conveyor structures, idler frames and transfer points.
- Wear parts: liners and wear plates that must be secure in use but replaceable during maintenance.
- Infrastructure: steel structures, walkways, ducting and buildings on site.
What mining fasteners must withstand
- Vibration and impact, which loosen conventional nuts and bolts over time.
- Very high loads, often needing large-diameter, high-tensile fasteners.
- Corrosion from water, chemicals and dust.
- Abrasion and temperature extremes, especially in processing plants.
Choosing fasteners that reduce downtime
Use vibration-resistant fasteners on critical joints. On screens, chutes, conveyors and vehicle bodies, lockbolts are often a better choice than nuts and bolts. The swaged collar cannot work loose, so joints stay tight without constant retightening. Large-diameter systems such as Hydraloc “T”® offer very high strength where welding is not practical. See Lockbolt Fasteners: How They Work and Why They Last.
Match strength and material to the job. Specify the right grade and diameter for the load, and the right material or coating for the environment, to avoid premature failure and corrosion. Avlock’s hardware range covers bolts, nuts and screws for industrial use.
Install correctly. Even the best fastener fails if installed wrongly. Calibrated hydraulic installation tools, such as Avlock’s Hydrafast tooling and Hydrapac® power units, install lockbolts quickly and consistently on site.
Plan for maintenance. Choose fasteners that let wear parts be replaced quickly and safely, and inspect critical joints regularly.
Why work with a specialist supplier
Mining operations need a dependable fastening partner: one that can advise on the right fastener for each application, supply the tooling to install it, and support the team on site. Avlock International manufactures and distributes specialised fastening systems and tooling from Boksburg, with branches across South Africa, and supplies customers throughout the mining and quarrying sector.