Homogeneity in CRMs: The Foundation of Reliable Results

Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) are the bedrock of quality control in mining and exploration laboratories. But their true value depends on one essential characteristic: homogeneity. If a CRM’s not homogeneous, it introduces variability into results, undermining the very accuracy it’s meant to assure.

For gold in particular, achieving homogeneity has long been a challenge. The metal’s malleable nature means that in traditional milling, coarse particles smear, flatten, or reform into irregular shapes. As a result, many believe that only synthetic materials, or ores with naturally fine-grained mineralizationsation, could ever form reliable CRMs. But advances in processing now mean it’s possible to achieve true homogeneity, and AnalytiChem’s CRMs are developed to do exactly that, even with challenging “nuggety” ores.

Why Homogeneity Matters

Homogeneity ensures that the CRM itself isn’t the source of analytical error. In practice, this means every subsample drawn from a CRM should deliver consistent results, with negligible sampling error compared to laboratory or method variability. Without this, users can’t be certain whether inconsistencies stem from their processes, or from the CRM itself.

For geologists, miners, and lab teams, the benefits of using CRMs are clear:

· Confidence that assay results are accurate and reproducible

· Assurance that anomalies are genuine, not artefacts of low-quality reference material

· Trust that quality control systems are built on solid foundations

Overcoming the Nugget Effect for Gold Samples

The biggest obstacle in producing reliable gold CRMs is the so-called “nugget effect”.

The presence of small, irregularly distributed particles can skew results. Traditional preparation methods, even when pulverizing gold into fine particle sizes, can’t fully eliminate this issue. AnalytiChem’s proprietary processing technology overcomes this challenge.

Rather than altering the chemistry of the ore or removing coarse particles, our approach focuses purely on precise grain size reduction. This ensures that even “nuggety” gold ores can become CRMs of the highest homogeneity, with no additives, no sieving, and no changes to composition required. Overcoming the “nugget effect” for gold, the most difficult ore to homogenize, means we’re able to fully homogenize all of our products.

Measuring and Proving Homogeneity

True homogeneity isn’t assumed, it’s quantified. At AnalytiChem, every CRM is tested at the actual sample masses used in the lab, such as the 30g charge typical of fire assay for gold samples. Using highly precise instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), we demonstrate that sampling error is negligible, even at reduced subsample sizes.

This means users can rely on our CRMs to deliver consistent, reliable results, and be confident that any variability in data originates from lab processes, not the reference material itself.

A Trusted Benchmark

From exploration to production, CRMs underpin decision-making worth millions of dollars. That’s why high quality and homogeneity in reference materials are essential. Our CRMs are sourced from natural ore deposits, prepared with unmatched precision, and certified to provide a dependable foundation for quality control.

By eliminating sampling error as a source of doubt, AnalytiChem's CRMs allow labs to focus on what matters: achieving accurate results, maintaining compliance, and making confident decisions.

Homogeneity is the foundation of trust in analytical science. With AnalytiChem, homogeneity isn’t a goal, it’s a guarantee, and that’s why laboratories around the world trust our CRMs.