The ISO 9000 definition is the degree to which a set of inherent characteristics of an object fulfils requirements. Ensuring data integrity is a necessary step to achieving confidence in your data.

QA is proactive and focuses on processes and procedures that implement and maintain a high standard of quality and prevent production of substandard data or products. In the geological world this would include documenting procedures, checklists, standards training of staff as well as the scrutinizing and auditing of processes and activities that produce geological data. This would include ensuring that the correct analytical methodology is applied to samples.

QC is reactive and is designed to identify and remedy issues (errors) with data or products by checking that requirements for quality have been met. Statistical process control (SPC) uses statistical tools and processes to apply quality control.

QC when applied to geochemical data aims to ensure the reliability of results. This would include monitoring of sampling and analytical error inherent in the data as well as identification of contamination that may take place in the field or the laboratory.

QC samples are materials inserted into the sample sequence to enable effective QC to be accomplished.

Current and future investors trust projects with good QC.

A barren sample commonly comprised of quartz containing negligible amounts of the critical analytes in question e.g. gold. Blanks are used to determine if there is any contamination in the analytical process or if there is low level analytical error.

Standards or certified reference materials. Material or substances that are sufficiently homogenous and one or more of whose property values are well established. Standards monitor the accuracy of analytical data.

Field duplicates, a sample inserted twice by the client, the information is unknown to the laboratory and provides the ability to check the reproducibility of the result. Field duplicates can monitor sampling error when samples are split in the field.

Re-sampled samples. Samples are resubmitted to the laboratory, in many cases with changed sample number.

Inter-laboratory checks. Samples are submitted to another laboratory to compare the data.

Blanks in a laboratory are normally reagent blanks. These do not monitor the preparation process, only the analytical process.

Laboratory checks- these are pulp checks analysed on the same run as the original samples to check for repeatability i.e. short term precision.

Laboratory duplicates. These are pulp duplicates but analysed in a different run under different conditions to check for reproducibility. In many cases the choice to repeat a sample may be done on a grade basis and not randomly as in the above category.

Laboratory standards or certified reference materials monitor the accuracy of the data

Quality assurance and quality control processes are a requirement for companies listed on the ASX and other stock exchanges when reporting exploration results or using the results in resource estimation and ore reserves, an example of ASX requirements from Table 1 of the JORC code.

WAZO has the skills to help you design your QC programme including the selection of certified reference materials.

QA is the next step once you have received your analytical results and WAZO is qualified to produce a statistical analysis of your data and provide you with a comprehensive QA report.