“Vale has developed a partnership with OREAS over the past fifteen years and our exploration teams world-wide have extensively used both commercially available (OREAS) and custom, matrix-matched certified reference material (CRM) samples originating from nickel laterite and polymetallic sulphide ores. What sets OREAS apart from other vendors is their technical expertise, unparalleled customer service and attention to detail. Particularly impressive is their staff’s dedication to meeting client requirements and addressing issues that occasionally may have arisen in either procurement or the manufacturing process. The CRMs used to date, made by OREAS are of extraordinary homogeneity and are very well characterized in terms of the certified values, tolerance intervals and coefficient of variation. This in turn, has facilitated true evaluation of laboratory accuracy and issues with the analytical procedure(s) rather than dealing with nuisances of the material heterogeneity. We are looking forward to a continued professional relationship with Craig and his team (Phil, Nathan, Katie and others).” Sasa Krstic, MSc., P.Geo, Principal QAQC Geologist, Vale Base Metals  

  

“In the twenty years that I have been involved with Resource definition drilling, OREAS have been my go to for CRMs, be it off the shelf, or building matrix matched standards. Auditors are always relieved to see OREAS standards in use, as they can then focus on the results rather than the quality of the CRMs.” Rob Taube, Exploration Manager  

  

“We have been using OREAS’ off the shelf standards and matrix matched standard preparation service for 15 years. We submitted 80kg of pulp residues from a supergene gold prospect to be prepared as a standard. The grades of the individual pulp samples ranged from 0.01 to 20.5 g/t Au. Being from the supergene zone, where nuggets up to 5mm in diameter were known to occur in a soft clay matrix, coarse gold problems were considered a certainty rather than a probability. On completion of preparation the standard was tested for homogeneity by instrumental neutron activation analysis. Fifteen 0.5g subsamples considered representative of the entire batch were submitted for gold analysis and returned an impressive coefficient of variation of 1.63%. We were subsequently able to use this standard knowing that at a 30g fire assay charge weight we could confidently discount standard inhomogeneity as a source of error in our QA/QC program.” David Lawie PhD, Managing Director, REFLEX Geochemistry  

  

“Having been a client of OREAS for many years, I can attest to the quality of their CRM’s, as well as the prudent QAQC counsel their management provides. For geologists, engineers and metallurgists in the market for both accuracy and precision in batch control, across a wide range of elements, I’d strongly recommend OREAS’ product-line.” Geoff Booth PhD, Director, Mining, PT (Sole) Company Ltd  

 

“Mt Carlton is a high sulphidation Au-Ag-Cu deposit with bonanza gold and silver grades. The mineralisation complexity and extreme precious and base metal grades made it difficult to find a suitable commercial CRM at a reasonable price for quality assurance protocol. A joint venture matrix-matched CRM project between Mt Carlton and OREAS provided the solution. The homogeneity and quality assurance of OREAS matrix-matched CRM’s enables the geology team at Mt Carlton to efficiently monitor the performance of our Assay Contractors and attribute variance errors.” Matthew Obiri-Yeboah, Geology Manager, Mt Carlton, Evolution Mining  

  

“We are both a participant in the OREAS material certification process as well as a purchaser of these materials for use in many of our Mineral testing labs across the globe. OREAS offers an extensive supply of reference materials that are mineral appropriate, range suitable and methodology specific that add value to routine quality control regimes for data acceptance and method validation studies.” Valerie Kuch, Quality Systems Manager, SGS Canada, NAM Geochemistry  

  

“I have recommended OREAS to clients for over ten years. For projects that are destined for Feasibility Studies it is vital that a QA/QC protocol be instituted that will withstand the scrutiny of technical auditors and reviewers acting on behalf of financial institutions or potential joint venture partners. The documentation and quality of the customised standards from actual materials produced by OREAS have consistently provided a rigorous basis for the assessment of the assay results that potentially underpin substantial investments. The extremely low coefficients of variation achieved even on gold mean that there is little scope for disputes between laboratories and clients regarding discrepancies between Recommended Values and those returned by the laboratory.” Phillip Hellman, Director, Hellman & Schofield  

  

“Operation of modern independent geochemical laboratory is impossible without use of reliable, stable and homogeneous certified reference materials. OREAS standards perfectly meet these requirements and are made with great attention to details: standards subject to oxidation are packed in small units in protective atmosphere, certificates frequently provide data for total and partially recoverable concentrations e.g. by fusion and aqua regia leach.  This is why we have been using OREAS standards day after day since early 2000s. We also take part in round robins organised by OREAS and this provides another level of independent quality assurance. Keep up your good work and looking forward to new quality standards!” Andrey Tairov, Technical Manager, ALS Ireland (formerly OMAC Laboratories)  

  

“When Tasman began REE exploration in 2009, we quickly learnt that assay methods at the major labs were not as well established as those that we had applied in the past for base and precious metals.  As an appropriate range standard wasn’t available for the heavy REE’s, we decided to produce our own standard with OREAS.  With the advice of OREAS’, we prepared two samples giving CRM’s in a “head grade” and “cut-off grade” range, which have covered all of our analytical needs since.  Working with OREAS was very simple and provided the product we required with quick turnaround.” Mark Saxon, President, Tasman Metals  

  

“As a worldwide dealer we really appreciate OREAS.  OREAS’s extremely fair prices, kind staff, quick shipping and excellent certificates have satisfied our wide range of private and public customers.  We are now ordering quite regularly because of their ever-expanding offering and happy customers returning for more.” Beau Brammer, President, Brammer Standard  

  

“We think OREAS is an innovative supplier who not only develops products for sale but is focused on improving its own processes and competitiveness in the market. We are very pleased to be working and cooperating with OREAS.” Melba Huerta Sepulveda, Quality Control ManagerChile, Bureau Veritas  

  

“I’ve worked with OREAS twice in developing new assay standards for our projects. The team there was easy to work with as we navigated our way through the technicalities of analytical methods. They were very efficient and thorough with their prepping of the samples and the processing of the data afterwards. The whole process only took a few months and we were able to put the new reference material into our system right away. We were very happy with the service.” Lori Martin P.Geo MBA, formerly Geology Lead at Fraser Morgan, Glencore  

  

“OREAS always has the product we need readily available and shipped quickly.  If by chance they are out of a standard we need or if it has been replaced they always take the time to help us by detailing the product alternatives.” Wannetta Garman, Office Manager, Inspectorate America Corp, Bureau Veritas  

  

“PT Geoservices is a major supplier of mineral and metallurgical analysis in Indonesia. We use certified reference material provided by OREAS to maintain the integrity of our results provided to clients. We are happy with the quality and availability of the reference material and more so that the standard element recommended values are provided based on different methodologies applicable to the services we provide.” Wayne Turner, Laboratory Manager, PT (Intertek) Geoservices  

  

“Being both participants in the certification round robin program and purchasers of standards, we find that some of the most suitable standards for complex mineralogies across the diverse range of local, national and international clients submitting samples can be sourced from OREAS. Craig and the team have extensive experience in the industry and understanding in the generation, validation and reporting of data taking the client needs into account.” Andrew Gasiorowski, Laboratory Manager, Adelaide, Intertek Minerals  

  

“We’ve been using a number of OREAS 60g CRMs for the past three and a half years at the Mt Rawdon mine for insertion into our resource definition drilling samples. Very pleased with the results and the excellent service from their sales department.” Craig Bosel, Geology Manager, Evolution Mining, Mt Rawdon Operations  

  

“Regarding the OREAS Round Robin, I think it is one of the entities that perform the best evaluation of the results and include the wider range of analysis.  This allows us to then use these STD in our routine checks.” Maria Elena Napanga, Service Head Geoquímica, SGS del Perú S.A.C.  

  

“I’m a long-time user of OREAS CRMs. One of the most attractive traits for me of OREAS products is a high stability of CRM which is extremely important for gold assay.” Evgueni Terentiev, Minerals Manager, SGS Laboratory Services Ghana Ltd  

  

“Your products are very useful to ensure our analytical work with high quality.” Yanhe Song, Technical Supervisor, IntertekShanghai-Beijing Branch  

  

“We have been participating in the OREAS reference material certification process since 2010 and also using their reference materials in routine quality control process in our geochemical laboratory to ensure analytical results with high quality. We highly recommend OREAS reference materials in a QA/QC program or in a method validation studies because they are reliable, stable, and homogeneous and, most of all comes from natural geochemical matrices. Another quality for us in their certification processes is to provide a reference value depending on the method of analysis, e.g., they provide results for total (4-Acid) and partial (aqua regia) digestion and fusion as well for a same sample. For these reasons we have been working together.” Marcos Filipe G. Silva, Technical Manager (Quality Control, R&D), SGS GEOSOL Laboratories, Brazil  

  

“BHP Newman Analytical Hub (NAH) have been using OREAS custom made standards for both internal and external examination of NAH Lab process for ~5 years now. We are happy with your product as results have shown that your product is stable and reliable and can be used as a sufficient reference material for the purpose of monitoring NAH day to day process. We have also sent this material for testing at numerous external labs and their results also concur.” Andrew Johnson, Chemist, Newman Analytical Hub, BHP Billiton Iron Ore  

  

“I have had the need to engage OREAS on several occasions, mainly to produce CRMs from some of our process material streams. I must commend them on their prompt delivery of quotes, packaged materials and certificates, also their flexibility in meeting our requirements. I have recommended them to many colleagues across the industry and will continue to do so. Thanks to Craig and the team for making the whole process easy and consistent.” Justin Searle, Production Planning Metallurgist, Newcrest Mining LimitedTelfer Gold Mine