The International Association of Geoanalysts (IAG) published a protocol for the certification of reference materials in close accord with the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) guidelines (Kane et al. 2003). This article supplements that protocol, providing additional discussion of best approaches for pre‐selecting laboratories for participation in certification projects. This discussion also makes a distinction between inter‐laboratory certifications, where n = 15 is the general standard, and expert laboratory certifications, where a much smaller number of laboratories will be deemed qualified to provide data of the quality needed for certification.

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This compilation report describes the field location, mineralogy, preparation and homogeneity testing of two new GIT‐IWG reference materials: Whin Sill dolerite (WS‐E) from England and Pitscurrie microgabbro (PM‐S) from Scotland. The elemental composition of these two new reference materials has been established by an international cooperative analysis programme involving participation by 104 laboratories. A full assessment of these analytical results is presented, from which working values have been derived for the major elements as well as for 45 trace elements in WS‐E and 44 trace elements in PM‐S. Furthermore, isotopic ratios are presented for both samples, particularly for 87Sr/86Sr and 143Nd/144Nd.

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