Implementing lean production in copper mining development projects: Case study

Lean production is a management philosophy that creates competitive advantages and provides important savings opportunities for companies and organizations. However, there is limited evidence showing to what extent lean production can improve productivity and organizational performance in the mining industry. Mining is a critical industry in Chile, so to understand the impact of lean production, this research provides details regarding the implementation of lean production methodologies in three underground mining development projects belonging to a Chilean mining company. In all of the case studies reviewed, the implementation of lean methodologies generated performance improvements in related projects and construction organizations, with statistically significant improvements in workflow, actual production capacity, operational reliability, productivity, time utilization, and organizational performance. The main findings of this study suggest that the incorporation of lean methodologies has significant potential to improve the performance of mining operations, which is critical given the current and future challenges in the mining sector.