Ok this part i can comment on...The labs need accreditation, and...

Ok this part i can comment on...
The labs need accreditation, and people who are NATA signatories. Normally its about a 2 year process to become a NATA sig, sometimes it can be fast tracked. So on that basis alone its not the lack of equipment or the lack of a business model, its just the way it is to ensure results are as accurate ss oossible for a large turnover lab like ALS.

As another poster mentioned, it is a coles/woolies type game, and there are very few labs that do this kind of work that are accredited and have the right signatories. ALS has quite a few labs around the area, but they are specialised labs who only deal with 1-2 types. You could go to another lab but I'll tell you now, they are all going to be more expensive.

The long and the short is, they have a monopoly on the testing for the price they do it. Some of the labs work 24/7 like ALS Sydney water resources group, but they need to because they do independent testing in real time (as real as can be) for the greater Sydney area including sample analysis of your taps at home to make sure there are no issues. These are required services for juman health.

If a lab doesn't need to run 24/7 it has a greater profit margin by running 10/6 or 12/7, depending on who is employed at what pay scale.

The minerals group is not a required service so would probably only operate at maximum capacity without overtime unless they get priority orders (que jumpers if you will) who pay extra for fast analysis turn around.

Now take into account the length of each drill that needs ro be analysed. each meter is crushed and a grab sample from the bulk is tested. But for each meter they put in priority from anothee company, or a restest, or a QC check, another metre is pushed back from CHK.

Just be patient, they will get done, they likely already are done and are awaiting signatory release, or for a request to release from the company.

I am just as impatient ad the next person, but calling them or the company wont speed things along. Wishing wont help, and saying open up kore labs certainly wont help.

Patience