Cortec® Corrosion Solutions Help Absorb Mining Industry Shocks
May 13, 2026
Incredible wealth lies underground in the form of mineral resources. As demands, regulations, and economic policies continue to shift, the constant uncertainties of shipping, shutdowns, and corrosion risks remain. The right corrosion solutions help ease this uncertainty by streamlining the preservation and commissioning process of mining equipment.
Peace of Mind for Mining Equipment Suppliers
Delivering mining equipment is no small job due to the large equipment sizes and shipping distances often involved. Fortunately, corrosion protection is a relatively simple part of package engineering. Shrink-wrapping equipment in VCI (vapor corrosion inhibitor) film such as Cortec’s VpCI®-126 HP UV Shrink Film offers internal corrosion protection with external UV resistance, while film translucence makes customs inspection easier. The outer layer can be supplemented by adding devices such as VpCI®-308 Pouches that release Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors inside equipment voids, forming a protective molecular layer on metal surfaces. If the package stays closed, preservation can continue onsite during the commissioning delay.
Surviving Mining Shutdown and Storage Events
Shutdowns—whether planned or unplanned, short or long—are another inevitable part of the mining industry, and some equipment is always in storage. Corrosion protection can reduce the stress of these events by streamlining layup and ensuring a speedy return to service. Key preservation steps include
- Cleaning dirty equipment with a heavy-duty alkaline cleaner that removes grime and offers flash rust protection (e.g., VpCI®-414)
- Lubricating grease points with NLGI grade 2 grease that offers enhanced corrosion protection and can be used for intermittent operation (e.g., CorrLube™ VpCI® Lithium EP Grease)
- Protecting moving parts with a wet film corrosion inhibitor (e.g., CorShield® VpCI®-369)
- Cleaning and protecting electrical contacts with a dual cleaner/protector spray (e.g., ElectriCorr™ VpCI®-239)
- Conditioning void spaces with Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors (e.g., VpCI®-308 Pouch)
- Wrapping equipment in outdoor grade Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitor film (e.g., VpCI®-126 HP UV Shrink Film or MilCorr® VpCI® Shrink Film) rated according to expected storage duration and conditions
- Adding a corrosion inhibitor additive with vapor-phase protection (e.g., M-531) to gearboxes at a small fraction of the internal volume for enhanced protection and less material waste
At the end of the shutdown, components that have been properly protected will be ready to go into service as soon as possible, with minimal product removal required.
Learning From Vacuum-Sealed Package Failure
One mining equipment and services company in Latin America discovered the impact of inadequate preservation materials when they inspected mining components that had been stored in vacuum-sealed plastic for one year. Corrosion had already begun on equipment, and another year of storage was still needed. As a result, they upgraded their protection strategy by applying VpCI®-111 Emitters inside the equipment and shrink-wrapping components with VpCI®-126 HP UV. Weeks later, their choice was reinforced when they received a shipment from the U.S. wrapped in the same material, with no corrosion reported.*
Take the Stress Out of Mining Equipment Preservation
While shipping and storing mining equipment is inevitable, corrosion is not, thanks to VpCI® technologies that streamline the preservation and recommissioning process. For more specific details on the strategies above, reach out to Cortec® at productinfo@cortecvci.com.
*See Cortec® Case History #591: https://www.corteccasehistories.com/
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