Bradken is setting new industry standards by combining advanced mill liner technology with a strong commitment to sustainability and operational efficiency.
With more than 100 years of expertise in the design and manufacture of mining solutions, Bradken delivers innovative wear parts that improve wear life, productivity and throughput, while boosting efficiency and safety.
Bradken’s ability to offer customers comprehensive mill liner solutions includes its scrap metal buyback program.
In a recent initiative aiming to enhance sustainability, operational efficiency, and strategic customer alignment, Bradken collaborated with a customer to clear over 2000 tonnes of unused mill liners, unlocking scrap buyback credits and bringing both parties towards greater mutual alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #12: Responsible Consumption and Production.
Bradken proposed a new scrap buyback credit agreement that provided a consistent and fair market pricing agreement, while supporting the customer to more efficiently manage mill liner waste as a transition towards a more sustainable liner lifecycle.
The collaboration resulted in an alignment with the customer’s sustainability goals and Bradken’s future circular economy strategy, which focuses on closing the loop on the circularity of mill liners in a transparent and traceable manner. Steel from the liners is now being returned to foundries for recycling.
According to research from the Steel Manufacturers Association, each tonne of recycled steel saves an estimated 74 per cent of emissions compared to when it is produced from virgin material.
This initiative not only highlights the tangible benefits of a forward-thinking scrap strategy but also the power of collaborative innovation between Bradken and its customers. This is a step towards greater resource and operational efficiency, with potential for enhanced tangible outcomes – cementing Bradken’s role as a trusted mill solutions partner.
For another Australian-based customer, Bradken’s expert mill solutions team provided recommendations to use the company’s composite liners. This solution supported an increase in the service life of their discharge end liners, reduced the quantity of liners required, and enabled increased throughput.
The customer’s high-impact conditions required the installation of additional liners. Bradken’s team provided a composite liner solution that met the mill grinding conditions and reduced the weight and quantity of the additional liners.
An industry pioneer
Bradken is a market leader for the design, manufacture and supply of mill liners to the global mining industry, specialising in innovative wear liner products and digital solutions for AG (autogenous grinding), SAG (semi-autogenous grinding), ball and rod mills.
With a global team backed by engineering solutions, advanced data analysis, and simulations, Bradken’s mill solutions team of experts provides recommendations that enhance the operational productivity, safety, efficiency and energy consumption for a customer’s mill processing operations.
The company’s range of composite liners incorporates materials such as rubber, alloy and cast inserts, offering distinct advantages for applications across various wear mechanisms, including corrosion, abrasion, impact, and mill volume and throughput.
Bradken is on a journey to become carbon-neutral by 2030 for Scope 1 and 2 emissions, through a combination of process efficiency, electrification and procurement of renewable energy. The company has already seen a reduction in process emissions, and its global foundries are shifting away from gas use.
Buying back its own scrap instead of using virgin steel helps to reduce emissions in the supply chain, and maintain the quality of product material, while also supporting customers and suppliers with their Scope 3 emission carbon goals.
Paving a sustainable future
Looking ahead, Bradken’s ambitions remain firmly focused on aligning high-performance product development with responsible environmental practices.
Supporting this commitment, up to 75 per cent of the energy used in Bradken’s manufacturing processes comes from renewable energy sources, and up to 98 per cent of the materials used in its liner production are sourced from recycled scrap and returned products.
What sets Bradken apart is its ability to integrate these environmental goals without compromising on productperformance or operational value for its customers.
Its holistic approach ensures customers are not only investing in advanced mill liner systems but are also partnering with a company that shares their values around efficiency, safety and sustainability.
As the mining sector faces increasing pressure to improve output while reducing environmental impact, Bradken’s position as a trusted partner becomes even more important.
The company’s dedication to engineering excellence, coupled with a genuine commitment to reducing the mining industry’s carbon footprint, ensures its mill liner solutions encapsulate both innovation and responsibility. Whether it’s improving service life, increasing mill uptime, supporting decarbonisation efforts, or creating new value streams from waste, Bradken continues to deliver solutions that go beyond wear performance.
It’s this combination of product innovation, environmental foresight and collaborative customer engagement that cements Bradken’s position as a leader in mining mill solutions.
This feature appeared in the July 2025 issue of Australian Mining.
