According to IMPACT Study, the annual global cost of corrosion is $2.5 trillion, equivalent to roughly 3.4% of the world's gross domestic product (GDP). Based on available studies and data, mining is an insignificant contributor to the cost of corrosion compared to other economic sectors such as infrastructure, oil and gas, and defense.

However, mining operations can be highly corrosive and there have been documented catastrophic failures where corrosion has played a causal role. This raises the question: is corrosion cost properly measured and reported for mining industry?

This paper presents case studies from different mining sites to show how corrosion cost is often hidden and not properly tracked, but significantly increases the operational expenditure (OPEX). It also discusses some available methodology and approach to overcome this issue. In addition, an example is included to illustrate how lifecycle corrosion cost data allows effective capital investment decision-making.

Subject
Costs, Corrosion prevention, Corrosion failures, Materials, Industries, Corrosion costs, Corrosion assessment, Investment, Repair, Equipment, Mining, Corrosion protection, Maintenance
Keywords:
Corrosion cost, Mining corrosion, Corrosion case studies
© 2025 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. This work is protected by both domestic and international copyright laws. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
2025
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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