Mining processes rarely allow a well-defined orebody to be efficiently extracted. Unexpected changes in ore boundaries, complex ore and waste interfaces, blasting underbreak, overbreak, unexpected internal dilution or grade variation, mixing ore and waste during loading, and misallocation of material during haulage can all contribute to tonnage and grade varying from plan. When are these detected: when the mine geologist or grade controller sees unexpected material in an underground drawpoint or blasted pile, when the mine produces fewer or more tonnes than expected from a blast, when the run-of-mine (ROM) stockpile colour doesn’t look right, when the process samplers show unexpected grade, or at the end of month metal accounting meeting? Measurement technologies have been successfully applied in many commodities to address these ore quality measurement requirements. Penetrative, continuous microwave-based free moisture analysis allows dry tonnes to be determined at 0.5 per cent moisture precision. High performance prompt gamma neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) provides representative, precise, and timely multi-elemental analysis of ore quality on primary crushed conveyed flows on parcels equivalent to every 30 seconds of flow. High performance camera-based volume and belt speed measurement systems can also utilise particle size distribution (PSD) data to adjust bulk density for accurate mass flow measurement to within one per cent of nucleonic weigh scale performance. These measurements provide unmatched quantification of material on a conveyor underground or on surface. Any variations from expected quality can be identified in minutes and actions taken to prevent waste parcels reporting to the crushed ore stockpile (COS) and being unnecessarily processed. The paper discusses case studies in multiple commodities.