Workflow and constraints
How should value stream mapping be used in a mining laboratory?
Value stream mapping makes the complete sample-to-result flow visible. Its purpose is not to produce a diagram; it is to identify where time, work and information stop moving as the operation requires.
Map the service, not only the physical steps
A mining laboratory value stream begins with demand and ends when validated analytical information reaches the user. The map should show sample receipt, registration, preparation, analysis, QA/QC, validation and reporting, together with queues, batch rules, handoffs and decision points.
Record observed times and work-in-progress separately. Processing time, waiting time and turnaround time answer different questions.
Include quality and rework
Blanks, standards, duplicates, calibrations, reruns and investigations consume real capacity. A map that excludes quality-control work can overstate sustainable output and hide why queues return after a superficial improvement.
Connect the physical and digital flows
LIMS should follow the same value stream. Sample registration, status, results, QA/QC review, validation and reporting need to move with the physical work. Manual handoffs and duplicate transcription are information-flow constraints even when equipment capacity appears adequate.
Use the map to test the constraint
The map provides hypotheses, not proof. Confirm the likely constraint with demand, effective working time, method-specific workload, downtime, staffing and observed output. Then model how a proposed change affects the whole route rather than optimising one step in isolation.
From workflow question to action