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Mining

Mining remains the backbone of the resource-based economies of Russia and the CIS and is fundamental to supply chain resilience in metals, energy, chemical manufacturing, construction and many other industrial sectors.

Today, mining companies' performance increasingly depends on their ability to manage complex production systems effectively: reducing production costs, improving operational efficiency and capital project performance, addressing organisational challenges and implementing digital solutions.

The Pieff team helps identify and realise this potential, from diagnostic reviews to on-site implementation support. Our tried-and-tested, industry-specific methodology helps deliver lasting financial benefits quickly.

Mining

Excavator loading rock into a haul truck at an open-pit mine.
The challenges
our clients face
Pressure on mining margins and capital project economics

Volatile mineral commodity prices call for flexible management of product quality and output volumes.

Rising labour, service and consumables costs put further pressure on the economics of mining.

The high cost of capital places greater demands on capital project payback and delivery schedules.

Low operational efficiency

Bottlenecks along the production chain limit growth in mining and processing volumes.

Equipment productivity and availability remain key drivers of efficiency.

Changes in equipment and service suppliers make maintenance more complex and require a rethink of approaches to equipment upgrades and repairs.

The complexity of managing dispersed assets

Multi-tier holding company structures complicate the allocation of authority and decision-making.

Mining often takes place in remote regions with a shortage of skilled labour.

Retaining specialists and transferring operational expertise are becoming important priorities.

No measurable benefits from digital initiatives

Companies have implemented numerous disconnected IT systems that need to be integrated.

There is no clear prioritisation of digital initiatives based on their financial value.

Digital projects often have long payback periods.

How we can help

Operational Efficiency
  • Increasing mining and processing volumes
  • Optimising operating and capital expenditure
  • Transforming maintenance and repair systems
  • Establishing reliability management centres
  • Optimising planning processes
  • Establishing operations control centres
  • Introducing and developing a production system
Capital Project Performance
  • Introducing and developing a production system
  • Increasing the net present value (NPV) of capital projects
  • Optimising project schedules and budgets
  • Implementing a system for managing major projects
  • Ensuring operational readiness
  • Accelerating ramp-up to design performance
Strategy and Transformation
  • Developing functional strategies
  • Transforming the organisation
  • Transforming the operating model
  • Developing KPI systems and incentives
  • Increasing labour productivity
  • Developing employees and improving engagement
  • Strengthening the management system for occupational health and safety and industrial safety
Digitalisation
  • Developing a digital transformation roadmap
  • Supporting the implementation and integration of digital solutions
  • Evaluating the financial case for digital initiatives and prioritising them
  • Increasing sustained adoption of digital solutions
  • Establishing a project management office and monitoring the delivery of benefits
Discuss working together
/ Case Studies

Real-world results,

that speak for themselves

View all case studies
Excavator and haul trucks below a rock face in an open-pit mine.
+11%
Operational improvement project at the Hidden Valley gold mine in Papua New Guinea: exceeding the baseline plan by 11% and meeting a stretch target
Team reviewing a repairs budget with printed tables, a laptop and hard hats on the table.
14%
Optimising the maintenance and repair budget
Stacks of shipping containers in a cargo terminal.
$7.5 million
$7.5 million in annual road logistics savings potential, including a shift from rail to road
Close-up of pieces of coal against a blue background.
-46%
Reducing coal mine overheads
Close-up of a gold-coloured mineral specimen.
$16 million
Reducing operating costs at a gold mining operation in Africa
Illustration of interlocking gears inside a mine tunnel.
Supporting a company’s transformation planning to improve operational performance
Flames around equipment in a metalworking plant.
+315 initiatives
Making the employer more attractive: a programme of 315 initiatives developed to reduce occupational health hazards and improve working conditions across 210 occupations
Copper-coloured mineral specimen against a black background.
+276%
Identified potential to increase the NPV of a copper-zinc deposit by 276% (+RUB 33 billion)
Haul trucks on a dusty road in an open-pit mine.
+RUB 48 billion
The initiatives developed helped increase the mining project’s NPV by RUB 48 billion
Workers behind a control-room desk with multiple monitors and a telephone.
+12%
12% increase in mine output through processes and digital tools for integrated mine planning and control
Haul trucks and an excavator on the floor of an open-pit mine.
-3%
$180 million increase in EBITDA through cost reductions at an open-pit coal mine
Pieces of coal against a white background.
+180%
Detailed benchmarking identifies potential to increase labour productivity by 50–180% at a Russian coal mining operation
Laptop displaying a blue wireframe model of industrial equipment.
+118%
Delivery times for strategic capital projects cut by 2–3 months by improving the management system of a Russian non-ferrous metals producer's capital projects department
Hands pointing to charts on a tablet during a meeting.
+83%
Developing and implementing an automated system for 10-day planning and issuing work assignments
Close-up of cutting teeth on mining machinery at a coal face.
+10%
Increasing coal output by 10% above baseline through the development of an underground transport concept
Excavator, haul truck and bulldozer in an open-pit mine.
+3%
A 3% increase in EBITDA through the development of a functional strategy for a major gold mining company’s operations division
Haul truck travelling along an open-pit mine road.
+37%
Identifying potential to increase NPV by 37% for an iron ore mine expansion project in Russia
Wooden tiles bearing a person icon and a briefcase icon.
+20 vacancies filled
Increasing the number of vacancies filled by 20% in 8 weeks in the capital projects department at a remote operation of a major vertically integrated non-ferrous metals producer
Mining vehicle with drilling equipment in an underground tunnel.
+30%
Increasing output by 30% at an underground mine through business improvements and a planning system
Drilling equipment at an underground rock face.
+112%
112% increase in mine development rates at Russia’s largest underground mine
Workers and rail tracks in an underground mine tunnel.
+10%
10% increase in output at Russia’s largest underground mine
Worker operating machinery beneath a mesh-supported mine roof.
by 20%
20% increase in mine development rates through daily reviews of development crews’ late arrivals and early departures
Mining machine with a cutting head in a dark underground tunnel.
from +49% to +61%
Identifying the potential to increase mine development rates by 61% at a coal mining operation
Group of miners wearing hard hats and orange high-visibility vests underground.
by 53%
53% improvement in a safety indicator by linking it to financial incentives
Conveyor structures and service lines in an underground mine.
up to 48%
48% increase in mine development rates through the “Ideal Cycle” tool and supporting initiatives
Rows of metal coils stored on pallets inside a warehouse.
from 31% to 71%
5S workplace organisation score increased from 31% to 71% through scheduled walkarounds and feedback
Miner standing beside a conveyor in an underground tunnel.
+14%
14% increase in net conveyor operating time by improving daily performance review meetings
Gloved hands holding a clipboard and pencil at a worksite.
up to 40%
40% reduction in downtime caused by material delivery delays through a standard procedure for replacing suspended monorail track beams
Terraced rock faces in an open-pit mine.
+23%
Potential identified to increase overburden removal by 23% at an open-pit coal mine in Kazakhstan
Close-up of a pile of coal.
-132 days
Potential identified to bring a new longwall face into production 132 days earlier by increasing the mine development rate by 86%
Rear view of a lorry travelling on a road through a mountainous landscape.
-6.5%
6.5% cost reduction through negotiations with contractors to lower existing road haulage rates
Two workers standing in a lit underground mine tunnel.
+14%
Potential identified to increase productivity by up to 14% at an underground mine
Excavator loading a haul truck in an open-pit mine.
from +RUB 800 million to +RUB 900 million per year
Identifying potential to significantly improve an open-pit mine’s profitability by more than RUB 800 million a year
Wind turbine viewed from below against a blue sky.
Developing a renewable power transition strategy with positive NPV and a reduction in CO₂ emissions of 70,000 tonnes a year
Mining equipment at sunset with part of a worker visible in the foreground.
Developing a plan to optimise the operating model of four functions for a vertically integrated mining and metals company
Close-up of a toothed cutting drum on underground mining machinery.
+5%
Reducing longwall support relocation time by 9% at a coal mine in Russia
Pieces of coal arranged along the edge of a dark surface.
+70%-180%
Increasing development rates by 70%–180% at a coal mine in Russia
Hand touching a digital network graphic over a blurred landscape.
Recommendations to improve digital product development and implementation and strengthen adoption within a major coal producer’s management system
Gold-coloured nuggets spilling from a fabric bag onto a dark surface.
+10% in EBITDA
Identifying potential to increase EBITDA by 10% through a portfolio of initiatives at the company’s gold mining asset
Hand using a stylus on a tablet with overlaid charts and data graphics.
+16%
Improving adherence to the 10-day work plan by 16% at a large underground nickel mine
Worker in a hard hat examining a printed plan underground.
52% to 87%
Improving adherence to the monthly mining plan by more than 50% through a monthly work schedule
Magnifying glass and checklist icons on a blue background.
Developing an operating model for a contractor specialising in underground mine capital works
Worker beside glowing molten metal in a metallurgical plant.
+10%
Identifying potential to increase blister copper production by 10% and recovery by 0.5 percentage points at a major Russian metallurgical complex
Laptop, pen and printed charts on a wooden desk.
-36%
Reducing the unspent capital budget for construction of a mining and processing operation by 36%
Underground loader with rock in its bucket in a mine tunnel.
+15 percentage points
A 15 percentage point increase in mobile equipment availability at an underground mine in Russia
Workers beside rail tracks and overhead pipes in an underground mine tunnel.
+35%
Identifying potential to increase an underground mine’s NPV by 35%
Elevated view of an industrial processing plant in a mountainous landscape.
by 5 hours per day
Reducing operational and technical downtime through data collection and variance reviews
Miners walking through an underground tunnel beneath a yellow ventilation duct.
>10%
Increasing mine production by more than 10% in 3 months by improving financial incentives
Miners working at an underground rock face under headlamps.
+80%
Increasing production at an underground lead-zinc mine by 80%
Worker beside a yellow underground drilling machine.
+48%
Increasing the production rate at an underground mine by 48% by introducing a mining work schedule
Rotating cutting drum on a coal-mining machine underground.
+16%
Increasing longwall productivity at a Russian coal mine by 16%
Industrial buildings connected by an elevated enclosed conveyor.
+320%
Increasing project NPV by 320% over baseline for an 8-million-tonne throughput expansion at a copper-molybdenum mining and processing operation in the CIS
Articulated lorry beside stacked shipping containers.
from 5% to 12%
Identified the hidden logistics cost base in procurement contracts and potential to reduce it by 5–12%
Operator in the cab of a yellow underground mining vehicle.
+4%
Increasing rock movement by setting achievable, measurable shift targets
Terraced benches and haul roads in an open-pit mine.
+$200 million
Increasing project NPV by more than $200 million through optimised mine planning for a major phosphate producer
Gloved hand holding a tablet with industrial data graphics in front of robotic equipment.
+23%
Increasing underground lead-zinc ore production by 23% and deposit NPV by 9% through digital tools implemented by our team
Composite image of a hand using a digital interface over an excavator and haul truck.
Developing a digitalisation-focused functional strategy for the operations division of a major Russian mining company
Excavator and haul trucks below a rock face in an open-pit mine.
+11%
Operational improvement project at the Hidden Valley gold mine in Papua New Guinea: exceeding the baseline plan by 11% and meeting a stretch target
Team reviewing a repairs budget with printed tables, a laptop and hard hats on the table.
14%
Optimising the maintenance and repair budget
Stacks of shipping containers in a cargo terminal.
$7.5 million
$7.5 million in annual road logistics savings potential, including a shift from rail to road
Close-up of pieces of coal against a blue background.
-46%
Reducing coal mine overheads
Close-up of a gold-coloured mineral specimen.
$16 million
Reducing operating costs at a gold mining operation in Africa
Illustration of interlocking gears inside a mine tunnel.
Supporting a company’s transformation planning to improve operational performance
Flames around equipment in a metalworking plant.
+315 initiatives
Making the employer more attractive: a programme of 315 initiatives developed to reduce occupational health hazards and improve working conditions across 210 occupations
Copper-coloured mineral specimen against a black background.
+276%
Identified potential to increase the NPV of a copper-zinc deposit by 276% (+RUB 33 billion)
Haul trucks on a dusty road in an open-pit mine.
+RUB 48 billion
The initiatives developed helped increase the mining project’s NPV by RUB 48 billion
Workers behind a control-room desk with multiple monitors and a telephone.
+12%
12% increase in mine output through processes and digital tools for integrated mine planning and control
Haul trucks and an excavator on the floor of an open-pit mine.
-3%
$180 million increase in EBITDA through cost reductions at an open-pit coal mine
Pieces of coal against a white background.
+180%
Detailed benchmarking identifies potential to increase labour productivity by 50–180% at a Russian coal mining operation
Laptop displaying a blue wireframe model of industrial equipment.
+118%
Delivery times for strategic capital projects cut by 2–3 months by improving the management system of a Russian non-ferrous metals producer's capital projects department
Hands pointing to charts on a tablet during a meeting.
+83%
Developing and implementing an automated system for 10-day planning and issuing work assignments
Close-up of cutting teeth on mining machinery at a coal face.
+10%
Increasing coal output by 10% above baseline through the development of an underground transport concept
Excavator, haul truck and bulldozer in an open-pit mine.
+3%
A 3% increase in EBITDA through the development of a functional strategy for a major gold mining company’s operations division
Haul truck travelling along an open-pit mine road.
+37%
Identifying potential to increase NPV by 37% for an iron ore mine expansion project in Russia
Wooden tiles bearing a person icon and a briefcase icon.
+20 vacancies filled
Increasing the number of vacancies filled by 20% in 8 weeks in the capital projects department at a remote operation of a major vertically integrated non-ferrous metals producer
Mining vehicle with drilling equipment in an underground tunnel.
+30%
Increasing output by 30% at an underground mine through business improvements and a planning system
Drilling equipment at an underground rock face.
+112%
112% increase in mine development rates at Russia’s largest underground mine
Workers and rail tracks in an underground mine tunnel.
+10%
10% increase in output at Russia’s largest underground mine
Worker operating machinery beneath a mesh-supported mine roof.
by 20%
20% increase in mine development rates through daily reviews of development crews’ late arrivals and early departures
Mining machine with a cutting head in a dark underground tunnel.
from +49% to +61%
Identifying the potential to increase mine development rates by 61% at a coal mining operation
Group of miners wearing hard hats and orange high-visibility vests underground.
by 53%
53% improvement in a safety indicator by linking it to financial incentives
Conveyor structures and service lines in an underground mine.
up to 48%
48% increase in mine development rates through the “Ideal Cycle” tool and supporting initiatives
Rows of metal coils stored on pallets inside a warehouse.
from 31% to 71%
5S workplace organisation score increased from 31% to 71% through scheduled walkarounds and feedback
Miner standing beside a conveyor in an underground tunnel.
+14%
14% increase in net conveyor operating time by improving daily performance review meetings
Gloved hands holding a clipboard and pencil at a worksite.
up to 40%
40% reduction in downtime caused by material delivery delays through a standard procedure for replacing suspended monorail track beams
Terraced rock faces in an open-pit mine.
+23%
Potential identified to increase overburden removal by 23% at an open-pit coal mine in Kazakhstan
Close-up of a pile of coal.
-132 days
Potential identified to bring a new longwall face into production 132 days earlier by increasing the mine development rate by 86%
Rear view of a lorry travelling on a road through a mountainous landscape.
-6.5%
6.5% cost reduction through negotiations with contractors to lower existing road haulage rates
Two workers standing in a lit underground mine tunnel.
+14%
Potential identified to increase productivity by up to 14% at an underground mine
Excavator loading a haul truck in an open-pit mine.
from +RUB 800 million to +RUB 900 million per year
Identifying potential to significantly improve an open-pit mine’s profitability by more than RUB 800 million a year
Wind turbine viewed from below against a blue sky.
Developing a renewable power transition strategy with positive NPV and a reduction in CO₂ emissions of 70,000 tonnes a year
Mining equipment at sunset with part of a worker visible in the foreground.
Developing a plan to optimise the operating model of four functions for a vertically integrated mining and metals company
Close-up of a toothed cutting drum on underground mining machinery.
+5%
Reducing longwall support relocation time by 9% at a coal mine in Russia
Pieces of coal arranged along the edge of a dark surface.
+70%-180%
Increasing development rates by 70%–180% at a coal mine in Russia
Hand touching a digital network graphic over a blurred landscape.
Recommendations to improve digital product development and implementation and strengthen adoption within a major coal producer’s management system
Gold-coloured nuggets spilling from a fabric bag onto a dark surface.
+10% in EBITDA
Identifying potential to increase EBITDA by 10% through a portfolio of initiatives at the company’s gold mining asset
Hand using a stylus on a tablet with overlaid charts and data graphics.
+16%
Improving adherence to the 10-day work plan by 16% at a large underground nickel mine
Worker in a hard hat examining a printed plan underground.
52% to 87%
Improving adherence to the monthly mining plan by more than 50% through a monthly work schedule
Magnifying glass and checklist icons on a blue background.
Developing an operating model for a contractor specialising in underground mine capital works
Worker beside glowing molten metal in a metallurgical plant.
+10%
Identifying potential to increase blister copper production by 10% and recovery by 0.5 percentage points at a major Russian metallurgical complex
Laptop, pen and printed charts on a wooden desk.
-36%
Reducing the unspent capital budget for construction of a mining and processing operation by 36%
Underground loader with rock in its bucket in a mine tunnel.
+15 percentage points
A 15 percentage point increase in mobile equipment availability at an underground mine in Russia
Workers beside rail tracks and overhead pipes in an underground mine tunnel.
+35%
Identifying potential to increase an underground mine’s NPV by 35%
Elevated view of an industrial processing plant in a mountainous landscape.
by 5 hours per day
Reducing operational and technical downtime through data collection and variance reviews
Miners walking through an underground tunnel beneath a yellow ventilation duct.
>10%
Increasing mine production by more than 10% in 3 months by improving financial incentives
Miners working at an underground rock face under headlamps.
+80%
Increasing production at an underground lead-zinc mine by 80%
Worker beside a yellow underground drilling machine.
+48%
Increasing the production rate at an underground mine by 48% by introducing a mining work schedule
Rotating cutting drum on a coal-mining machine underground.
+16%
Increasing longwall productivity at a Russian coal mine by 16%
Industrial buildings connected by an elevated enclosed conveyor.
+320%
Increasing project NPV by 320% over baseline for an 8-million-tonne throughput expansion at a copper-molybdenum mining and processing operation in the CIS
Articulated lorry beside stacked shipping containers.
from 5% to 12%
Identified the hidden logistics cost base in procurement contracts and potential to reduce it by 5–12%
Operator in the cab of a yellow underground mining vehicle.
+4%
Increasing rock movement by setting achievable, measurable shift targets
Terraced benches and haul roads in an open-pit mine.
+$200 million
Increasing project NPV by more than $200 million through optimised mine planning for a major phosphate producer
Gloved hand holding a tablet with industrial data graphics in front of robotic equipment.
+23%
Increasing underground lead-zinc ore production by 23% and deposit NPV by 9% through digital tools implemented by our team
Composite image of a hand using a digital interface over an excavator and haul truck.
Developing a digitalisation-focused functional strategy for the operations division of a major Russian mining company
View all case studies
/ Insights

Useful articles

View all insights
Deep open-pit mine with haul trucks on a winding road and surveying equipment in the foreground.
21 January 2026
In this insight, we explain why geotechnical engineering needs to become a strategic function in mining companies, balancing the drive to maximise production with the management of collapse and accident risks. Drawing on a completed project, we show how a systematic approach to geotechnical engineering can unlock additional asset value and deliver a long-term competitive advantage.
S&OP Part 3 title on a dark blue background.
4 December 2025
The final article in our Sales and Operations Planning series focuses on the role of digital tools and data quality. We examine the systems that support core planning processes, approaches to integrating them and data management principles — all essential to keeping the operating model running reliably.
Worker using a tablet beside a mining haul truck.
17 November 2025
What is driving digitalisation today, and how are Russian companies approaching it? Our new study explores the trends, challenges and prospects for digitalisation and automation in the mining industry.
Team reviewing an engineering drawing spread across a table.
6 November 2025
When designers fall behind and construction is left waiting, companies face delays and financial losses. We see this frequently on capital projects. In this article, we explain how to turn a chaotic design process into a well-managed system and align it with construction without complex IT platforms.
View all insights

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