Quality control of G-BASE data procedures followed for XRF data from Wales and Welsh Borders area stream sediment samples

Analysis of all G-BASE solid (stream sediment, soil, rock) samples is carried out in laboratories at BGS, Keyworth. The analytical method routinely used is Wavelength Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (WD-XRF) (Ingham & Vrebos 1994).
To accommodate the full range of elemental data requested by G-BASE, it has been necessary for the laboratory to develop three separate analytical programmes for particular suites of elements. The result is the generation of three discrete data files, each containing analytical data for the elemental suite analysed within each particular programme.
Each batch of samples is identified by a unique laboratory number which is assigned by laboratory staff on receipt of an analytical request. When data is reported by the laboratory, three data files corresponding to each laboratory number are sent digitally to the G-BASE data manager who will then begin the overall task of data quality control.
This document outlines the procedures applied to all G-BASE solid sample data once reported by the laboratory to the G-BASE data manager. The correction factors applied to the raw data prior to loading to the BGS Geochemistry Database are listed in this report.