Report of the International Association of Geoanalysts on the Certification of Penrhyn Slate, OU-6

The International Association of Geoanalysts (IAG) has certified a slate sample, OU-6, for twelve major and minor constituents, as well as thirty-five trace elements through an interlaboratory programme conducted in close compliance with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Guide 35 (1989). Laboratories were qualified for participation in the certification programme, based on their performance in the prior analysis of OU-6 as a proficiency test material. Thirty laboratories provided data for the certification, though not for each constituent that was certified. Certification criteria included a means of establishing traceability for the certification data, generally through concurrent analysis of the existing Geological Survey of Japan reference material JSl-1, agreement of results between laboratories and methods, and a minimum of data rejection (4% rejection rate for OU-6 data and 6% for JSl-1 data), preferably for well-understood technical reasons only. Information values are provided for an additional eight constituents where certification criteria were not met. Uncertainties developed in accordance with the Guide on Uncertainty in Measurement (Eurachem 2000) and representing the 95% confidence interval of the certified and information values are reported for all fifty five constituents. The material is currently available in 40 g units for distribution by the IAG. Supply is anticipated to last about ten years.