Enhancing Operational Efficiency through a Hybrid Quality Control Framework: Integrating TQM, Six Sigma, and JIT/Lean in the Mining Industry

Quality improvement has become essential in the mining industry due to its potential to address critical challenges such as rising production costs, regulatory pressures, and the demand for sustainable operations. This paper explores the applicability of quality improvement techniques—specifically Total Quality Management (TQM), Six Sigma, and Just-inTime/Lean (JIT/Lean) manufacturing—in enhancing efficiency within the mining sector. A systematic literature review approach is employed to examine these techniques and their impact on productivity, cost reduction, and resource optimization. This review identifies key success factors and challenges in adopting a systematic quality improvement approach and suggests that further studies are needed to understand the long-term implications of these techniques on operational resilience. Our findings contribute to the development of a quality improvement framework tailored to the unique challenges of the mining industry, with insights into how each technique can be leveraged to meet the demands of modern mining operations.