Quality Control Procedures

 

Analysis Quality Control

The routinely adopted Quality Control Procedures as described in the Laboratory Quality Manual are:-
1. A reagent blank is automatically inserted at the start of each job.
2. Standards and/or blanks are automatically inserted randomly on an average of one in every 26 samples, plus one standard at the end of the job.
3. Standards are selected where possible to suit the element suite required, the expected range of element concentrations, and the expected matrix of the samples.
4. Where available and/or viable, appropriate International or Australian Certified Reference Materials are used; otherwise in-house prepared standards are used (only after careful preparation, blending, and analytical validation, including submission to other laboratories).
5. Where possible, standards are rotated within a job to cover low, medium and high range values for the elements being analysed. In-house standard preparation and analytical data collection and interpretation is coordinated by the Quality Control Officer, in conjunction with the Technical Manager, Chief Chemist and other senior technical staff.

All result monitoring (both samples and standards) is handled by the Quality Control Staff using custom designed components of TLMS (GENALYSIS’ in-house Total Laboratory Management System). This plots a histogram of the sample results for each element for each job as a guide to the selection of anomalous values for repeating. 10% of the gold and PGE analysis are repeated at no extra charge. This consists of 4% duplicates (every 25th sample) weighed at the time of the initial assays and 6% repeats selected on the basis of the assay results. All of these results are reported. For all other elements, the 4% duplicates from the initial assays are reported and selected anomalies are confirmed by an appropriate method. The reporting of all QC data is included in the prices quoted, except where more than the 10% repeats are considered necessary (because of poor reproducibility of gold results for example – in which case the additional repeats will be charged for).
Where the concentration of an element exceeds the capacity of the originally selected method, then re-analysis will be required using a more appropriate digestion technique and analytical finish at the client’s expense.
If any result for a standard and any random duplicate result is outside the accepted range for that technique; or any selected repeat result does not agree with the corresponding original result within the accepted variance; then the Quality Control Staff will instigate a series of check procedures thus:-

1. Examination of raw data and any calculations.
2. Closer scrutiny of all other standards, duplicates and repeats within the job.
3. Scrutiny of values obtained for other elements in that standard or sample in that job.
4. Re-analysis of all solutions for the element in question.
5. Checking and re-calibration of all equipment, and all chemicals, used during the analytical process.
These steps may instigate a series of additional re-assays which may extend from a few samples adjacent to the offending standard or sample to complete re-digestion and re-assay of the entire job. This investigative work (which is done at no extra cost) may involve a delay in reporting results, however our focus is to report the best quality data to you, our valued customer.

Reporting

In addition to facsimile and mailed hard-copy reports, electronic data transfer via email is available. We recommend that data to be transmitted by email be encrypted for security purposes. Standard data formats available include CSV, Excel, Text and SIF. Other non-standard formats may be available upon request (some charges may apply).
Please contact Genalysis to discuss your data needs prior to the commencement of your analysis.

 

Accreditation

National Association of Testing Authorities Australia has accredited Genalysis Laboratory Services, following demonstration of its technical competence, to operate in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025. This facility is accredited in the field of Chemical Testing for the tests shown in the Scope of Accreditation issued by NATA.

 

Check Assays

If pulps from another laboratory are submitted for check analysis, then we recommend re-drying and grinding (to mix) prior to digestion and analysis; or at the very least mat mixing of the pulp. We would also suggest that some or all pulps be checked for particle size using the Mastersizer laser particle size analyzer.
When submitting samples from other laboratories for check analysis, we recommend that the bulk residue be submitted. This enables both the quality of the preparation AND the quality of the analysis to be checked. Alternatively, new field splits should be taken.

Orientation Surveys

We recommend clients conduct orientation surveys for "grass-roots" exploration PRIOR TO COMMENCING any large program to ensure that the most appropriate and cost effective preparation and analytical options be chosen. Our management team is available for discussion about the options.