PREPARATION, HOMOGENEITY EVALUATION AND COOPERATIVE STUDY OF TWO NEW CHROMITITE REFERENCE SAMPLES CHR‐PT⁺ AND CHR‐BKG

Abstract

Two chromitite samples from the Isles of Shetland (North Scotland) have been processed, each in 200 kg quantities, as reference samples for the determination of gold and the platinum‐group elements (PGE). One of these samples, Chromitite CHR‐Pt + is enriched in the PGE and the other, Chromitite CHR‐Bkg has much lower concentrations. A detailed assessment of sample homogeneity is presented, together with the results of a cooperative study by thirty‐five international geochemical laboratories, private and public. Contributed data together with derived working values are presented for Au and the PGE as well as for major, minor and a few trace elements. It is hoped that this first compilation report will encourage additional laboratories to participate in further studies of the PGE in these two CHR samples.