Reliable results start with quality control
Exploration and mining decisions rest on assay results, so those results need to be dependable. Quality control (QC) is how a laboratory checks its own work.
Common QC checks
Laboratories commonly use several checks alongside client samples:
- Reference materials: samples with a known value, used to see whether a method returns the expected result.
- Blanks: samples with no target metal, used to detect contamination.
- Duplicates: a sample analysed twice, used to check that results repeat.
Clients can add their own checks
Clients can also include their own blanks, duplicates and reference materials in a batch. Together with the laboratory’s checks, this gives a fuller picture of data quality.
Questions about testing or sample submission? Contact RVA Labs.
