A mine does not only measure ore. Around every operation there is a second analytical programme: groundwater wells, surface-water stations, tailings and process ponds, discharge points and effluents, sampled on a fixed schedule for years. OnLIMS runs that programme in the same system as the assay laboratory — heavy metals by AAS and ICP, tied to the same audit trail and QA/QC controls — so a compliance result carries the same evidence as a production result.
Monitoring points as routine jobs, campaigns as batches
Environmental monitoring is recurring work against fixed locations. OnLIMS models it with routine jobs: each monitoring point keeps a constant identity, and date and time separate one sampling event from the next. There is no new work order to open every round. Finite work — a baseline study, an investigation after an incident, a drilling campaign for new wells — runs as a batch under controlled sample identities. Both models share the same sample lifecycle, QA/QC and traceability.
- Fixed-point routine sampling Wells, stations, ponds and discharge points keep their identity; each event is distinguished by date and time.
- Full history per monitoring point Every result stays attached to its point, so trends for tailings and surrounding ecosystems are a query, not a spreadsheet merge.
- Barcode chain of custody Sample reception, identity and custody follow the same barcode lifecycle used for assay samples, from receipt to certificate.
Instrument capture without retyping trace values
Trace metals in water are reported in very small units, and every manual transcription is a chance to misplace a decimal. OnLIMS captures results directly: 150+ instruments via serial (RS232) plus 25+ via configurable file parsers — AAS, ICP-OES, ICP-MS, UV-Vis, titrators and analytical balances. When an ICP finishes its run, the output file is loaded into the electronic worksheet (OnWSH), parsed and mapped to the worksheet positions, with the formulas applied by the system rather than by hand.
Limits, detection limits and QA/QC in the run
- Range limits on every result Min/Max limits are configured per routine job and test, so each monitoring point can carry its own limits. A reading below or above its range is flagged as low or high.
- Statistical QA/QC OnQC runs Shewhart, X-Control, CUSUM and Thompson-Howarth charts with CRM, blank, duplicate and control samples, and flags any control outside its limits before the batch is approved.
- Calibration on the record Each instrument record holds its calibration and service expiry dates, and both are written to the worksheet’s instrument log whenever that instrument is used, so a reviewer can see the calibration status behind a compliance result.
From approved result to regulatory report
Results move through the OnLAB lifecycle — Pending, Ready, Approved, Published. On publish, results are locked under supervisor control and every later change is captured in the field-level audit trail: old value, new value, user and timestamp. Approved data leaves the laboratory as customizable certificates and structured CSV, TXT, XLSX or XML exports for regulatory submission or for the environmental and corporate systems downstream. LabData, the read-only client portal, lets environmental and site teams consult results without touching the production system.
What OnLIMS does — and what it does not
OnLIMS manages the laboratory evidence: receipt, analysis, QA/QC, review, approval and controlled reporting. It does not design the monitoring network, choose sampling frequencies, perform field sampling, model the aquifer or make a compliance determination under a permit. Those decisions stay with the operation, its environmental specialists and the authorised laboratory. What OnLIMS guarantees is that, when a result is questioned, the record behind it — point, sample, method, batch, controls, approval and revisions — can be retrieved instead of reconstructed.
One system for the assay lab and the environmental lab
Many mine-site laboratories run both programmes with the same people and the same instruments. OnLIMS supports multiple databases selected at login, runs zero-install over Microsoft SQL Server on premises, against a cloud-hosted SQL Server or under Citrix/RDS, and is licensed per site with unlimited users for the management modules. The environmental programme does not need a second system, a second vendor or a second set of user licences.
Related: Sample tracking and chain of custody · ICP integration · QA/QC for mining labs
Frequently asked questions
Can OnLIMS run an environmental monitoring laboratory?
Yes. OnLIMS is built for mining, smelter and environmental laboratories. Fixed monitoring points run as routine jobs, campaigns run as batches, and both share the same QA/QC, audit trail and reporting.
How are regulatory limits handled?
Min/Max limits are configured per routine job and test, so each monitoring point can carry its own limits, and results outside the range are flagged as low or high. The comparison against a specific permit remains the operation's decision.
Which instruments can feed environmental results directly?
150+ instruments via serial (RS232) plus 25+ via configurable file parsers, including AAS, ICP-OES, ICP-MS, UV-Vis, titrators and analytical balances. Send your instrument list and we confirm each one.
Can the mine-site assay lab and the environmental lab share one system?
Yes. OnLIMS supports multiple databases selected at login, and the management modules are licensed per site with unlimited users.