8.6 Discussion The negative elasticity values obtained confirm that increasing mechanical availability does not guarantee increased utilization. The major delays identified are not directly related to equipment breakdowns but to operational inefficiencies. From an operational perspective, this indicates that maintenance improvements alone will not generate productivity gains unless the operational environment supports continuous drilling activity. In particular, the mine must ensure that faces are prepared, operators are available, and critical services such as energy, water, ventilation, and transportation are continuously provided. Therefore, operational elasticity is a useful indicator for evaluating whether equipment availability improvements are being effectively translated into productive performance. 9. CONCLUSIONS Operational elasticity analysis provides a quantitative method to evaluate the relationship between mechanical availability and utilization, allowing identification of operational bottlenecks that limit equipment productivity. The results show negative operational elasticity in both day and night shifts, confirming that increased mechanical availability does not necessarily lead to increased utilization. The delay analysis demonstrated that lack of face/workplace, lack of energy, lack of transportation mobility, lack of water/pressure, and lack of operator account for more than 80% of unproductive time. Productivity measured in meters per hour (m/h) varies by shift, and night shift performance tends to be lower, suggesting that operational and human factors influence drilling efficiency. This study demonstrates that improving drilling productivity requires integrated management strategies addressing both mechanical reliability and operational constraints 10. RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended to conduct a detailed operational study focused on night shift performance, considering fatigue, supervision levels, and operational restrictions, in order to identify specific actions to improve utilization and productivity. A comparison between planned drilling schedules and actual execution should be performed to quantify deviations caused by operational constraints and improve planning reliability. Future studies should integrate qualitative variables such as operator experience, geomechanical conditions, and coordination between mine planning and operations, to strengthen predictive models of utilization.
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