Responsible Mill Liner Lifecycle – Yet another milestone in our sustainability journey

Mill liners are solid pieces generally made from steel alloys, with molded surfaces that include grooves and protrusions specifically designed to optimize grinding. These parts not only protect the interior of a mill from wear but also help direct the movement of crushed rocks and particles, improving the efficiency of the process.

When Bradken’s products, particularly mill liners, reach their end of life, we work with our customers to implement our recycled metals buyback program.

A Bradken customer in Australia wished to clear over 2,000 tonnes of unused mill liners. Being a global leader in the mining industry with a strong commitment to sustainability, Bradken collaborated with the customer and helped clearing the hundreds of unused mill liners by implementing the new buyback agreement.

With Bradken’s new buyback agreement offering fair and consistent market prices and a streamlined process for managing liner waste, the customer had the issues sorted and also got recycled metals buyback credits.

This collaboration aligned both parties – the customer and Bradken –towards UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

In other words, this partnership aligned with our customer’s sustainability goals and Bradken’s circular economy strategy, which focuses on closing the loop on the circularity of mill liners in a transparent and traceable manner. Steel from these liners was returned to foundries for recycling.

Buying back our own recycled metals instead of using virgin steel helps to reduce emissions in the supply chain, and maintain the quality of product material, while also supporting customers and suppliers with their Scope 3 emission goals.

Bradken is setting new industry benchmarks by combining cutting-edge mill liner technology with a strong commitment to sustainability. We are working towards becoming carbon neutral by 2030 for Scope 1 and 2 emissions. The journey includes a combination of process efficiency, electrification, and the procurement of renewable energy. We have already seen a reduction in process emissions, and our global foundries are transitioning away from gas usage. Bradken is marching ahead briskly towards its goal of aligning high-performance product development with responsible environmental practices. This holistic approach means customers are not only investing in advanced mill liner systems but also in a partner that shares their values around efficiency, safety, and sustainability.

Today, up to 75 percent of the energy used in our mill liner production comes from renewable energy sources, and up to 98 percent of the materials used are sourced from recycled metals and returned products.

Our dedication to engineering excellence, coupled with a genuine commitment to reducing the mining industry’s carbon footprint, ensures our mill liner product development encapsulates both innovation and responsibility. Whether it’s improving service life, increasing mill uptime, supporting decarbonisation efforts, or creating new value streams from waste, Bradken continues to deliver solutions that go beyond wear performance.

Products from Bradken not only improve output but also reduce environmental impact, thus cementing Bradken’s position as the undisputed global leader in the mining sector, with a razor-sharp focus on sustainability.