Inside Mill Liner Optimization: An Interview with Raul Vargas, Global Technical Vice President at ME Elecmetal

In today’s mining environment, achieving higher throughput, reducing downtime, and improving safety are no longer optional – they are essential. ME Elecmetal, a global leader in wear solutions for mineral processing, continues to set new benchmarks in mill liner innovation and optimization. As part of its integral solutions approach, the company views liners not in isolation, but as a core component of system-wide performance.

We spoke with Raul Vargas, Global Technical Vice President at ME Elecmetal, to learn more about how advanced liner design, digital monitoring, and customer collaboration programs like ME FIT and VAES (Value-Added Engineering Services) are reshaping mill performance.

Q: Raul, why is mill liner optimization such a critical focus area for mining operations today?

A: Grinding mills really are the core of a concentrator. If they stop, everything else waits – and that has a big impact on production and costs. Mill liners are key because they don’t just protect the shell, they also define how efficient the grinding process can be.

At ME Elecmetal, we see liner optimization as a way to bring added value to our customers. It’s not just about durability – it’s about safer and quicker change-outs, helping mills operate closer to their true capacity, and most importantly, treating liners as part of an integral solutions approach to overall grinding performance.

Q: What distinguishes ME Elecmetal’s approach to liner optimization from others in the industry?

A: For us, it’s always about collaboration. We don’t just ship liners – we work closely with our customers to understand their ore, their operating conditions, and their targets.. Then we design solutions that fit those realities, using modelling, digital monitoring, and our decadeds of experience and data from installations all over the world.

A big part of that is our ME FIT^® Programs. ME FIT is not a product – it’s a partnership framework. It aligns our technical and commercial teams with our customers’ strategic goals, ensuring measurable improvements in throughput, safety, and cost efficiency. Alongside ME FIT, our VAES (Value-Added Engineering Services) team works directly with customers to test new concepts, validate liner designs, and provide in-depth analysis. Together, ME FIT and VAES make sure that every liner design is backed by engineering rigor and tied to real-world results – always as part of an integral solutions approach.

Q: ME Elecmetal has introduced several innovative technologies in recent years. Could you highlight a few that are making the biggest impact?

A: Absolutely. Two come to mind right away:

• ME PolyFIT^® hybrid liners blend abrasion-resistant rubber with high-performance steel alloys. The big advantages are lighter weight, safer handling, and faster relines, without sacrificing wear life. In SAG and ball mills, it often means lower noise, reduced downtime, and more availability. Customers also like that ME PolyFIT^® liners reduce the space taken up inside the mill, which means they can add more grinding media and push throughput.
• ME SecureFIT^® External Bolting is another game-changer. By allowing bolts to be inserted from outside the mill, crews don’t have to be inside during liner change-outs. That shortens critical-path time and lowers risk. It’s a major step forward in safety. When paired with our Smart Bolting System (SBS), which uses digital sensors to monitor bolt tension in real time, operators can see exactly when a bolt is losing preload and schedule a re-torque before it becomes a problem. It’s about turning a traditionally reactive task into predictive maintenance – helping crews save time, reduce risk, and keep the mill secure.

Both of these solutions tackle the things our customers care most about: safety, efficiency, and reliability.

Q: Digital monitoring is becoming a bigger part of mill operations. How is ME Elecmetal helping customers leverage data for better decisions?

A: Data is the key to continuous improvement. At ME Elecmetal, we provide advanced digital tools like 3D laser scanning, to capture precise profiles of liner wear. To make this faster and safer, we created QuickScan™ Grinding, which completes a full scan in just 15 minutes – without anyone stepping inside the mill.

By combining this information with wear tracking, we can predict how liners will perform, refine designs, and recommend the best timing for change-outs. This is where VAES plays a crucial role – turning all that data into actionable insights, helping operators make decisions that improve uptime and extend equipment life.

Q: Sustainability is a major focus across the mining sector. How does liner optimization support environmental goals?

A: Every extra cycle we get out of a liner means less steel used, less waste generated, and fewer change-outs. All of our cast liners are 100% recyclable, and we’ve built circular economy programs to recover scrap and put it back into production. On top of that, improving grinding efficiency reduces energy consumption, which cuts the carbon footprint of milling operations.

For me, sustainability and performance aren’t separate goals – they go together. Doing more with less is better for the business and for the planet. That’s why sustainability is embedded into our integral solutions mindset.

Q: How does ME Elecmetal’s global supply chain support customers in achieving reliability and efficiency?

A: Supply chain strength is a critical part of optimization. The best liner design doesn’t mean much if it doesn’t arrive on time. That’s why we’ve built a global network of foundries, grinding media plants, and service centers in key mining regions – Chile, the U.S., Peru, China, South Africa, Indonesia, and Zambia.

This lets us deliver locally, shorten lead times, and adapt to regional needs. It also gives us flexibility in sourcing and manufacturing, which helps manage costs and ensure reliable availability of liners, grinding media, and wear parts. The real benefit to our customers is simple: when it’s time for a change-out, the right product is already at the site, and the mill can get back online without delays.

Q: Finally, what advice would you give to mine operators looking to get the most out of their grinding circuits?

A: Don’t look at liners in isolation – look at them as part of an integral system. Liner design, fastening, monitoring, and maintenance practices all work together to determine mill performance.

Choose a partner who brings not only products, but also technical knowledge, data-driven insights, and a commitment to improving results over time. That’s exactly what our ME FIT^® Programs and VAES services are designed to deliver – measurable gains in priority key performance indicators as part of ME Elecmetal’s integral solutions approach.

Q: Where can mining professionals learn more or connect with ME Elecmetal in person?

A: We’ll be at the 2025 Convención Internacional de Minería in Acapulco, November 19 – 22, at Stand #6111. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet face-to-face, explore our latest technologies, and talk about how we can help optimize operations. You can also visit our website at www.me-elecmetal.com or call us at +1 480-730-7500.

Closing Thoughts

Mill liner optimization is no longer about simply extending wear life – it’s about unlocking the full potential of grinding operations. As Raul Vargas emphasizes, ME Elecmetal’s integral approach – combining advanced materials, digital monitoring, ME FIT^® Programs, and VAES engineering expertise – ensures that customers don’t just keep their mills running, but make them run better, safer, and more sustainably.

About ME Elecmetal

ME Elecmetal is a leading global supplier and strategic partner in the mineral processing, aggregate, construction, and recycling industries, renowned for its commitment to innovation and technology. Dedicated to delivering cutting-edge, sustainable solutions, ME Elecmetal consistently exceeds customer expectations worldwide.

With a comprehensive range of products and services – including grinding media, mill liners, crusher liners, and large specialty castings – ME Elecmetal is the preferred partner for crusher operators and mineral processors looking to optimize their operations.

The company operates ten state-of-the-art metallurgical plants strategically located across Chile, the USA, Peru, China, South Africa, Indonesia, and Zambia. With a robust manufacturing capacity exceeding 134,000 tons for foundry products and 600,000 tons for grinding media, the company continues to meet the growing demands of the mining industry.

ME Elecmetal’s commercial presence extends to over 40 countries, solidifying ME Elecmetal’s position as a global leader in delivering innovative solutions to critical sectors around the world. Learn more about ME Elecmetal’s global footprint and commitment to excellence in integral solutions at www.me-elecmetal.com.