Quality Assurance
Acme Analytical Laboratories has dedicated itself to providing a high quality service to the mining and exploration industry.
Quality Management System and ISO Registration
Foreseeing the need for a globally recognized mark of quality in 1994, Acme began adapting its Quality Management System to an ISO 9000 model. Acme implemented a quality system compliant with the International Standards Organization (ISO) 9001 Model for Quality Assurance and ISO/IEC 17025 General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories. On November 13, 1996, Acme became the first commercial geochemical analysis and assaying lab in North America to be accredited under ISO 9001. The laboratory has maintained its registration in good standing since then. Vancouver expanded the scope of it’s registration to include the Smithers preparation facility in June of 2009, Yellowknife in April 2010 and Whitehorse in May 2010.
In 2005 the Santiago, Chile laboratories received ISO 9001:2000 registration with the preparation facilities in Mendoza, Argentina and Georgetown, Guyana following in 2006 and Acme’s Lima, Peru facility in 2009. As of July 2010 Chile’s new Copiapo facility has been added to the Sanitago registration and shortly Acme anticipates the addition of both Medellin Colombia and Goiania Brazil.
Both the Vancouver and Santiago hub laboratories are working toward ISO 17025:2005 accreditation and are expected to complete the accreditation process within the next year.
Acme has for many years regularly participated in the CANMET and Geostats round robin proficiency tests. Acme is recognized as a participant in the CALA Proficiency Testing Program and is registered by the BC Ministry of Water Land and Air Protection under the Environmental Data Quality Assurance (EDQA) Regulation.
All laboratories fall under the Quality Management Scope helping to ensure the same practices and procedures are followed throughout the organization.
Quality Control in Testing
Samples submitted are analyzed with the strictest quality control. Blanks (analytical and method), duplicates and standard reference materials inserted in the sequences of client samples provide a measure of background noise, accuracy and precision. QA/QC protocol incorporates a granite or quartz sample-prep blank(s) carried through all stages of preparation and analysis as the first sample(s) in the job. Typically an analytical batch will be comprised of 34-36 client samples, a pulp duplicate to monitor analytical precision, a -10 mesh reject duplicate to monitor sub-sampling variation (drill core only), a reagent blank to measure background and an aliquot of Certified Reference Material (CRM) or Inhouse Reference Material to monitor accuracy. In the absence of suitable CRMs Inhouse Reference Materials are prepared and certified against internationally certified reference materials such as CANMET and USGS standards where possible and will be externally verified at a minimum of 3 other commercial laboratories. Using these inserted quality control samples each analytical batch and complete job is rigorously reviewed and validated prior to release.
Acme has always prided itself on providing the highest level of quality control data to its clients. Recent implementation of Acme new laboratory information management system (LIMS) and AcmeAccess provides clients with even greater access to quality control data.