The International Association of Geoanalysts

Certification Committee

Montréal, Nov.29 to Dec.3, 2005

Present at the meeting:

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  From left to right: M. Wiedenbeck, T. Meisel, P. Bédard, J. Schweyer, J. Kane, M. Burnham, S. Wilson, D. Savard, P. Potts, K.P. Jochum, U. Kasper, and N. Machado. Photograph by H. Gaonac'h (GEOTOP).

Presentations:

Current issues in the development of bulk reference materials

• Thomas Meisel: Perspectives from the recent ISO-REMCO meeting.

• Phil Potts: the role of proficiency testing

• Steve Wilson: Activities of a reference material producer : USGS

• Klaus-Peter Jochum: GeoReF data base

Individual proposals for the development of new bulk reference materials

• Uwe Kasper: Priorities in establishing a Loess reference material.

• Thomas Meisel: The case for low level PGE reference materials - UB-N re-certification.

• Paul Bedard: Proposals for recertification to provide reference values for underanalysed elements.

• Marcus Burnham: Ontario Geological Survey interest in the development of reference materials.

• Jean Carignan: The case for stable isotope reference materials

• Steve Wilson: USGS recertification proposals??

Development of microbeam reference materials - 1

• Steve Wilson: Fusion techniques and preparation of microbeam samples.

• Klaus-Peter Jochum: MPI-DING microbeam sample programme.

• Michael Wiedenbeck: Zircon and other issues in relation to microbeam reference materials.

Development of microbeam reference materials - 2

• Contribution on the G-Probe proficiency testing programme?

• Proposals for characterising new microbeam reference materials

Review, issues and further work

• Contributions from all participants.

Future actions

Microbeam analysis

1. Replacement for zircon 91500

   • Nuno Machado (GEOTOP/UQAM) plans to revisit the field area in Ontario in Spring 2005 to search for suitable replacement material (aiming at 500 g)

   • Intention is to characterise this sample as an IAG reference material suitable for geochronological studies

   • Issues concerning sample preparation

     • Possibility of preparing compressed pellet of ultra-fine material (using USGS facilities)

     • Possibility of fusing material with synthetic high purity albite to prepare a homogeneised fused material

     • Possibility of also collecting and characterising a titanite sample

     • Strategy for inviting suitably qualified laboratories to participate to be decided

   • Principal responsability for progress: Nuno Machado, Jean Carignan and Michael Wiedenbeck; progress anticipated by 2006 Fall.

2. Future strategy for the G-Probe proficiency testing

   • Next sample will be distributed in Spring 2006 with 6 month to report results.

   • Laboratories will be asked to privide information about calibration materials

   • Principal responsability for progress: Phil Potts and Steve Wilson

IAG Certification Committee

1. Sustainability of the Committee

   • Require a volunteer to act as Chair to take forward the agenda

   • In addition to Jean kane, volunteers required who will be willing to participate actively in the work of the Committee

   • A strategy needs devising whereby the Committee can generate an income stream that will sustain the activities of the Committee.

2. Annual meeting

   • Need of an annual meeting

   • Where in November 2006?

Certification studies

1. PGE, Se, S and Te bearing material

   • Two new candidate samples will be tested (names witheld)

   • Jean Kane, Thomas Meisel, Jean Carignan, Marcus Burnham and Paul Bédard to write the first draft of certification objectives

   • High quality producing laboratories will be selected to do a second measure for certification

   • Thomas Meisel, Jean Carignan, Marcus Burnham, James Schweyer and Paul Bédard to recruit laboratories capable of contributing high quality PGE, S, Se and Te data to the certification round.

2. Loess

   • This candidate reference material is designated for supporting thermoluninescence, optically stimulated luminescence and electron spin resonance studies.

   • Sample has already been circulated in GeoPT13 round.

   • Uwe Kasper to evaluate further the certification of for this sample (U, Th, K, Rb)

   • Uwe Kasper to investigate methods of sterilising the sample for importation into countries such as Australia that do no allow importation of non-sterilised soils.

3. CAL-S

   • Jean Carignan to re-examine the data from a previous GeoPT round to specify aims of a certification study.

4. Brazilian basalt

   • Sample has been developed by Jacinta Enzweiler (Brazilian government funding) and prepared at the USGS by Steve Wilson.

   • Sample is scheduled for circulation in a future GeoPT round.

   • Futher discussions needs to take place regarding the justification and objectives of a certification study.

   • One issue that would be worthy of further consideration is wheter this sample might the basis for a future GeoPT and G-Probe round (USGS would fuse the powdered sample). round to specify aims of a certification study.

5. Soil for medical geology applications

   • Steve Wilson consider that there is a substantial market for such a sample.

   • The USGS may proceed with this project anyway but with potential collaboration with the IAG to be discussed further.

   • No action agreed
     (Notes taken by : Phil Potts)
     

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