Evaluation of sample homogeneity for geochemical standard reference materials used in microanalysis

Three proposed National Bureau of Standards clay standard reference materials, flint clay SRM 97b, plastic clay, SRM 98b, and brick, SRM 679 were investigated for homogeneity with respect to their contents of Sm, La, Sc, Th, Hf, As, Ga, Fe and Cr. Sub-samples were analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and replicate determinations were made on nominal sample weights of 100, 400, 750, and 1000 g. For Sm, La, Sc and Th, no increase in the relative standard deviation with decreasing sample weight was observed in all SRMs indicating that subsampling error for these elements was not a large component of the overall error. For Ga in all SRMs and Cr, As and Fe in SRM 98b, an increase in the relative standard deviation with decreasing sample weight suggests that these elements are concentrated in a minor component of the sample. The three clays should be good reference materials for trace element microanalysis for the elements investigated.