AN OVERVIEW OF SGS MINERALS SERVICES’ GLOBAL

GEOCHEMICAL LABORATORY QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Ljiljana Marjanovic

Technical specialist - analytical

SGS Booysens Laboratory

2

How do we see a commercial lab?

3

SGS GROUP

GLOBAL LEADER

� Verification, inspection and monitoring

� Sampling and testing

� Risk management

PUBLIC COMPANY

� Revenue (2012) – CHF 5.6B,$USD 6.04B, $CAD 6.1B

� +75,000 people

� 10 lines of business

� +1500 offices

4

SGS MINERALS SERVICES

� Over 15,000 people in total

� Revenues of CHF 868 million (2012)

TESTING FACILITIES

� Over >285 coal, geochem and metallurgical testing facilities in 46 countries• On-site• Commercial• Many are

multilabs/shared

� 155 geochemistry labs

� 126 coal labs

� 7 trade labs

� 12 metallurgy facilities

� 5 mineralogy labs

� 2 plant design and engineering facilities

60North America

36South America

43Europe

57Africa

13China/HK

27East Asia

52South East

Asia & Pacific

Commercial, Multi-lab and On-site Labs

5

SGS Geochemistry Laboratory QMS

� SGS’s QMS governs the processing of samples in all of our geochemical labs

� Includes:

• Control of methods;

• ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation;

• Control of analytical batches;

• Round robin and proficiency testing participation;

• Equipment and reagent performance, maintenance and traceability;

• Staff training and competency; and

• Document control (issue date, review date, revision, approval).

6

Control of Analytical Methodology

� SGS has developed an extensive centrally controlled methods bank:• >2,000 individual field tested and refined methods covering all

sample types and data end use• Methods are regularly reviewed and released to the network with

detailed work instructions, guidelines and templates for method validation, and data acceptance criteria

� Method development is coordinated centrally:• Methods assigned for development and validation to one of our larger

facilities, usually Lakefield Canada, Perth Australia or Lima Peru• Also have global technology managers for wet chemistry,

ICPOES/ICPMS and XRF

7

8

“4 acid” digest or fusion?

9

BaSO4

10

Method Validation

� Full method validation is performed when:• A method is developed in-house• Significant changes are made to a method and the verification

of the validation results demonstrates an unacceptable performance

� Verification of validation is performed when:• Technical changes (reagent changes, instrumentation or

equipment changes, sample concentration ranges etc.) are made to an existing method

• If the method is an international standard method (e.g. ASTM)• When an instrument is re-located, or undergoes a significant

repair

11

ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation

� SGS believes ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation is an important tool to confirm the credibility and reliability of its labs:

• We accredit our commercial labs for the major use methods

� Accreditation to the ISO/IEC 17025 standard is an important indicator that a lab’s process is documented, monitored and in control

� Accreditation in itself does not guarantee that any lab is providing fit for purpose data to its clients and is only one of the hallmarks of a reputable and successful lab facility

12

Analytical Batch Control

� SGS’s global analytical batch quality control and data acceptance system, QP MIN 21, governs the quality control and release of data

• Designed to ensure that our clients receive the same level of quality and fit for purpose data regardless of which SGS laboratory they use.

– Some local modification for client specifications are allowed, but only after formal approval

QC TYPE Weak Extraction (MMI)

Fire Assay (AAS, ICP, ICP-MS, Grav)

Leach/fusion/digest (AAS, ICP, ICP-MS, XRF, IR)

Process Control / Metal Accounting

Batch Size is 84 Batch Size is 84 Batch Size is 84 Batch Size is 84

Prep Blank (Barren RM)

NA 1 1 1

Method Blank

2 1 1 1

Duplicates NA 2 2 3

Replicates 6 2 2 3

Reference Materials

2 4 4 6

Total QC samples

10 10 10 14

% of live samples

14% 14% 14% 20%

13

Reference Materials

� SGS uses a mixture of certified reference materials from various internationally recognized vendors

• Specific CRM used is dependent on the method, sample type, concentration of the analytes being determined and the data end use

� Performance on these CRM’s is monitored continuously using Shewhart Control charts in the SGS CCLAS “SLIM system”

14

SGS-AMIS Type CRM Program

� Goal of the SGS-AMIS Type CRM program is to produce an inventory of mineralogically diverse CRM’s using feedstock from the samples we analyze in the 89 onsite mine laboratories run globally

• Currently >100 materials already certified and in use, want to build this to >200 materials and then maintain inventories

• Costs for type CRM’s are very competitive with synthetic CRM’s being significantly cheaper than the CRM’s we buy from CANMET, MINTEK , IrGiRedMet, Geostats, etc

15

SGS-AMIS Type CRM Program

� SGS accumulates the raw materials and ships via sea container to AMIS in Johannesburg:

• Geologics: 700-1,000kgs of low, medium and high grade run-of-mine materials

• Plant Materials: 700-1,000 kgs of blended plant feed and tailings• Concentrates: 100-200 kgs of final flotation concentrates.

� SGS clients are asked to donate the material

� The SGS-AMIS CRM library now contains > 100 certified materials and is being expanded annually

16

17

UG2 (Cu - CRM standard)

� ICP P certified = 6530 +/- 226ppm

� ICP M certified = 6481 +/- 462ppm

� XRF certified = 6463 +/- 292ppm

� UL = 6755ppm

� LL = 6171ppm

18

Laboratory Performance Testing

� The SGS-LQSi IRR program is the largest program in the world and is mandatory for all SGS Geochemical labs

� LQSi prepares and distributes materials monthly representing the Precious Metal, Base Metal, Coal, Iron Ore, fertilizer and limestone samples our labs routinely process• LQSi analyzes the results and issues a performance report

� SGS labs are also mandated to participate in 3rd party PT programs like GEOSTATS, CANMET’s PTPMAL program, etc.

19

Equipment and Reagent Performance

� SGS’s QMS includes procedures and protocols to control and monitor the performance, maintenance and traceability of lab equipment and reagents:• Equipment is tracked and monitored to ensure that it is performing as

expected and is being maintained in good working order

• Labs adhere to strict reagent and consumables purchasing policies:– All purchases require approval from Management:

» Preference is given to ISO accredited suppliers

– SGS has negotiated global supply agreements with two or three vendors for all major laboratory supplies

– All purchased reagents and consumables are utilized only once verified compliant with specifications

20

Staff Training and Competency

� SGS’s HR system is designed to foster excellence in our staff, through:• Progressive talent acquisition• Training• Results oriented supervision and management

� SGS has specific, job/task based criteria for acquiring and hiring staff:• HR works with lab management to target, identify and interview new staff• Candidates interview in front of an SGS panel and final hiring decisions are

made by consensus• SGS has recently introduced the SHINE onboard program for new recruits

� SGS encourages employees to continue to develop their skills through work experience, education and cross-training

• Specialty SGS lab training centres have been set up in Ghana, South Africa and Australia

� Job descriptions are controlled centrally and are reviewed and updated regularly

21

Graphite analysis

22

1. “LECO” Method ?- Ash sample @ 550 0C- Wash with HCl/ HNO3- Determine C in the residue

2. LOI Method ?- Wash sample with HNO3/HCl- Ash sample @ 550 0C- Ash sample @ 1000 0C

23

RESIDUE!!!!

0

2500

10000

Counts

d-spacing [Å]

2.04.06.08.020.0

Graphite White Res_3Graphtie Light B Res_2Graphite Orange Res_1

Hem

atite

Hem

atite

Hem

atite

Hem

atite

Mu

llite

Mu

llite

Mu

llite Mu

llite

Mu

llite

Co

rundum

Qu

artz

Qu

artz

Qu

artz

Qu

artz

Christo

balite

Mu

llite

Christo

balite

Mineral Name Orange/Brown Residue Light Brown Residue White Residue

Quartz 20-50 % 10-20% 3-10%

Mullite 20-50 % >50% >50%

Hematite 10-20% 3-10% 10-20%

Corundum 3-10% 10-20% 10-20%

Feldspar 3-10% - -

Spinel - - 3-10%

24

Al 2Si2O5(OH)4

Dehydroxylation (or alternatively, dehydration) 550–600 °C (metakaolin)Loss (-OH) is observed up to 900 °C Si3Al4O12 to 925–950 °C (aluminium-silicon spinel)Calcination to ~1050 °C 3 Al 2O3 · 2 SiO2 (Mullite) and SiO2 (Cistobalite)

25

Document Control

� SGS controls all of the QMS documents electronically

� SGS is slowly moving from a simple Microsoft Sharepointstorage system to a process storage approach called the “House”.

� The House models all business activities as processes:• Include different functional units that share common objectives• Ensure that the interfaces between key activities work• Group the processes into:

– Value creation– Management– Support

• Once sorted they are organized into a Process Landscape to give users a visual clue of location and improve site memory

26

Conclusion

� SGS Geochemical Lab QMS is constantly adapting and improving as our labs respond to changes in technology and client requirements

� The increase in computing power and the availability of sophisticated database software means that our labs now have the power to store, analyze and monitor data at higher and higher volumes

� Predictive trend analysis using very sophisticated statistical tools is now routine

� Clients are seeing and will continue to see improvements in data quality as a result

27

How do we see a commercial lab?THANK YOU !