This paper examines the application of Lean Manufacturing in a mining environment, based on experience within the Rio Tinto entities: Rio Tinto Aluminium, Northparkes Mines and Hunter Valley Operations._x000D_
The three applications have tested the flexibility of the Lean methodology._x000D_
Within Rio Tinto, Rio Tinto Aluminium was the first group to introduce Lean. The rollout began in late 2004. It was introduced firstly at Boyne Smelters, Gladstone, as a model site with the initial application in the Carbon Bake Furnace area. It was later extended to other sites including the Weipa Bauxite Mine._x000D_
Lean's successful application within Rio Tinto Aluminium was in part responsible for its recent adoption by other Australian-based Rio Tinto business units including Northparkes Mines, a copper mining operation in Central New South Wales, and Hunter Valley Operations, a group of four coal mines in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales._x000D_
Lean is also being adopted by Rio Tinto Iron Ore._x000D_
Rio Tinto Aluminium introduced Lean Manufacturing to complement an existing Six Sigma business improvement program and to achieve continuous improvement activities at a workplace level._x000D_
Lean provides a similar level of rigour and discipline to Six Sigma but its application is everyday and for everyone, everywhere in the workplace. It is a valuable management tool. In a short time, Lean has achieved good and sometimes spectacular results improving productivity and efficiency at all sites, including our mining site._x000D_
Within Rio Tinto Aluminium, it has also had beneficial impacts on our ability to develop and retain employees.