Metso accelerates digital shift in minerals processing with connected equipment surge

Metso says it has pushed its digital performance services deeper into minerals processing, with more than 800 pieces of equipment now connected to its monitoring systems, more than twice the number recorded when the company launched the offering in September 2025.

The Finnish group says the data-driven model is aimed at helping miners improve maintenance planning, reduce safety risks and lift productivity by combining standard instrumentation, advanced analytics, artificial int...

elligence and failure-mode expertise drawn from its Performance Centres. The company says this approach allows it to monitor individual assets as well as broader process sections, giving operators earlier warnings of emerging faults and more time to act before problems become costly shutdowns.

Arttu-Matti Matinlauri, Metso’s vice-president for minerals digital, said the company’s experience suggests the system can detect 80% to 90% of issues, while customers have seen availability improve by as much as 6% and carbon dioxide emissions fall by up to 20% per tonne. Metso presents these figures as evidence that remote monitoring can do more than prevent breakdowns: it can also support a more efficient and lower-emissions operating model.

The services cover a wide range of processing equipment, including crushing, grinding, screening, filtration, pumps and analysers. Metso says customers can choose between different service levels depending on their operational needs, from technical support focused on rapid troubleshooting to continuous condition monitoring designed to spot deterioration before failure occurs.

The company also points to a South American customer site as an example of the model in practice. According to Metso, the site recorded a 94% capture rate for identified risks in the first six months of operation, avoiding more than 215 hours of possible downtime and cutting spare parts demand. Metso says the resulting value totalled $7.4 million.

Pablo Zuniga, Metso’s director of performance services, said the results show how the system is being used to convert operating data into measurable gains for customers. For Metso, the broader message is that mining companies increasingly want remote, fact-based support that can help them react faster, plan better and keep production running with fewer surprises.

Source: Noah Wire Services