Proficiency testing for mining-specific laboratories Effective Proficiency Testing, Credible Results

The sure-fire way by which minerals testing laboratories can enhance the credibility of results from the sampling and analysis of respective commodities is through engaging reputable providers of Proficiency Testing (PT). Recognising the relevance of PT, Qotho Minerals assures potential and existing clientele that it is up to the task.

In the current mining environment, ascertaining the feasibility of implementing a project to guarantee a return on investment during the Life Of Mine (LOM) has become imperative. The practical way of realising this is through access to accurate data gathered from laboratory samples of respective commodities.

Naturally, with more projects being launched, there is increased demand upon laboratories to deliver reliable analytical results. In order to achieve this, laboratories have to meet requisite Proficiency Testing (PT) requirements - and engaging reputable providers of mining-specific proficiency testing solutions can facilitate this.

The preferred provider

Based in Madibeng 30 minutes west of Johannesburg and Pretoria, Qotho Minerals has established itself as the preferred provider of PT solutions to mineral industry laboratories in Africa and beyond. The company has been and remains ISO 17043:2010 accredited for PT schemes, since 2017. Its scope of accreditation encompasses elements of the periodic table, expressed as metals, oxides, or other substances as well as their physical properties. Its current commodity base extends to fifteen commodity groups which include Base Metals, Ferrous metals, Heavy Minerals and Precious Metals.

Based on its extensive experience and proven relevant track record, Qotho is guaranteeing to the potential clientele that it is well-resourced to meet their respective PT needs. In a brief article through Mining Business Africa, Dr Hannelie de Beer, Managing Director of Qotho Minerals, highlights the significance of PT in analytical laboratory QAQC and the approach that has turned it into the preferred service provider.

Relevance of PT Solutions

To underline the significance of engaging a reputable company, de Beers cites two critical purposes that PT serves in laboratory operations – enhancing the credibility of results and identifying areas of improvement.

• Enhancing the credibility of results

Firstly, PT programs aim to ensure that laboratory results are accurate and reliable, which is essential for making informed decisions about mining operations. Particularly, this is important in the mining industry, where even minor inaccuracies in laboratory results can have significant consequences for resource estimation, mine planning, and mineral processing.

On how PT programs enhance the credibility of results, Takudzwa Tsapayi, Qotho Minerals Operations Manager, elaborates: “The worst thing for any geologist, metallurgist or the marketing department is to doubt the credibility of the results they receive from their laboratory. For this reason, participation in regular, accredited and Independently Operated PT programmes is key to developing and ensuring a trusting relationship between the laboratory and the end-users.”

• Identifying areas of improvement

Proven proficiency testing programs can also help laboratories to identify areas where they may need to improve their processes or procedures. By participating in proficiency testing schemes, laboratories can benchmark their performance against industry standards and identify areas where they may fall short. This can help laboratories improve their processes, reduce errors, and, ultimately, produce more reliable results.

Undoubtedly, the relevance of using proven proficiency testing programs for laboratories in the current environment cannot be overstated.

Qotho’s innovation to meet demand

Qotho Minerals is meticulous in its approach to designing PT programmes. This is evident in its choice of specific concentrate samples and open and continuous communication with the client.

Designing sample concentration ranges

Usually, samples used in a PT program for a commodity must be fit for purpose and meet the industry requirements. To that effect, the industry sponsors all samples used in the Qotho PT programmes. In particular, when industries have specific issues or requirements, they sponsor appropriate materials to ensure their needs are met.

Qotho’s approach

Qotho Minerals ensures that mineral samples are relevant, reliable and acceptable for use within laboratories. de Beer details the company’s approach: “Through continuous and open communication with current or prospective clients, we ensure that our PT menu meets industry requirements. We will be informed where additional requirements are identified. In turn, we will engage with the remainder of the participants within a particular program to gauge the willingness and capabilities of the greater group to meet these requirements.”

Enhancing quality control measures

Qotho Minerals is devoted to quality assurance in the delivery of PT. However, it is worth clarifying that both the client and Qotho have a part to play in ensuring that the analytical outcomes meet the expected quality standards.

Qotho does not dictate to the laboratories which analytical methodology they should utilise when analysing its PT samples. Such is the case since it is assumed that the laboratory itself is conversant with best practices. Ultimately, the choice of the methodology is at the laboratory’s discretion.

Usually, the evaluation of its performance in the PT programme will steer laboratories to improve their procedures and enhance their quality control measures, should they underperform, states de Beer. “Tracking their performance over time will soon enough highlight trends and flag biases and systematic errors within the laboratory. Random fluctuation of performance, beyond the acceptance criteria, will also alert a laboratory to the fact that they may have gross random errors within their facility.”

On its part, Qotho goes all-out to adhere to international quality standards in a specific sample range that it produces. On how the company accomplishes this, Tsapayi illustrates: “Key to a successful PT sample and program, is material homogeneity. As a PT provider, it is critical to ensure that each test item (within a batch) is deemed practically identical. Therefore, appropriate blending and sub-division methodologies are critical to ensure that we can ultimately demonstrate that the batch of samples is homogeneous. Whilst not that relevant within our product profile at present, the stability of the material throughout the PT round must also be guaranteed. Where the material characteristics can change, clear instructions must be provided to participants, on how to deal with the samples, before analysis (e.g. drying to ensure no moisture has been gained in transit).”

Continuous improvement

Clients in the mining industry need to cope with challenges and expect service providers of laboratory services to be up to the task of enabling them to cope and be sustainable. Cognisant of that, Qotho’s expansion of PT offerings is guided by technological developments and the resulting change in demand for different commodities within the industry.

Furthermore, as part of its quality policy, the company is devoted to continuous improvement of its operational processes and the way it engages with clients. Therefore, the company embraces the continuous developments and advances within the electronic and digital sphere, to provide user-friendly solutions to its clients.

Up to the task

There are multiple PT providers within the minerals industry - a situation which gives endusers (laboratories) access to a wide choice of service providers. However, despite this healthy competition, de Beer believes Qotho’s Offering is up to the task, standing out from two perspectives.

Firstly, she explains: “What makes our offering unique is that our programs are planned well in advance, the participants are guaranteed between 2 to 6 rounds per year and the timeframe for each round is clear – from date of sample shipment to date of the release of the PT report. Planning is done more than a year in advance.”

Moreover, being pre-planned assists laboratories to plan their proficiency testing participation, to ensure that they comply with the requirements of ISO 17025. Underscoring the convenience of this approach, de Beer says, “It is difficult for any laboratory to plan their compliance if they do not know when and how many samples/rounds they can expect in any given calendar year.”

Continuous programme development

Qotho is continuously expanding its PT offering to the minerals industry. Guided by industry trends, as well as enquiries and requests from within the industry, the firm continuously plans new programs. The aim is to launch at least one new program per annum.

True to form, over the last eighteen months, three new programs have been launched – vanadium chemicals, heavy mineral sands and zinc.

Currently, Qotho circulates more than 2500 PT samples per annum, covering 15 commodity groups and 37 sample types.