The Integration of Mine Operations and Mine Maintenance Groups within Teck Coal

Open pit coal mining is an equipment intensive process. The availability and the cost of operating the equipment is one of the most significant aspects of the operation. Focusing on Teck Coal, a subsidiary of Teck Resources Ltd., in this paper I examine how the current structure and relationship between the mine operations and maintenance groups impacts the effectiveness of the organization. I will discuss the benefits and the need for collaboration between the two groups, and examine the current adversarial relationship that exists. Through interviews with several key people within the organization I will determine where the adversarial relationships may have come from, make recommendations to bring the two groups closer together and ultimately describe a processes of implementation in order to achieve the desired cultural change.