Mining Magazine September 2014 | Page 9

The mining sector is a highly competitive , highly profitable global business . Mining companies are continuously looking to implement newer operation models into practice , finding more ways of increasing productivity , reducing costs and improving effectiveness .
This process is forcing management teams to confront tough choices on how to balance the needs of the individual mines as well as the broader scope of corporate goals for boosting enterprise value . Due to the remote locations , mine lifecycle , limited and specified supply market and challenging production , the industry is full of facets for outsourcing .
The key theme here is differentiating what should , and shouldn ’ t , be outsourced . We break down the do ’ s and don ’ ts of outsourcing in the mining industry .
Understanding your needs Outsourcing is the practice of using outside firms to handle work normally performed within a company .
The first step in outsourcing is identifying the company ’ s needs . According to Niskanen Salla from the University of Oulu , outsourcing
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