General

  • How are Certified Reference Materials made?
    OREAS CRMs are prepared from natural ores derived from depths in excess of two meters. The ores are dried until constant mass, crushed, milled and then homogenised in a blender. After blending, representative samples are taken and sent to 10-30 leading laboratories to be assayed for analytes of interest. Results from the laboratories then undergo rigorous statistical analysis to calculate a certified value for each analyte.
  • What are CRMs used for?
    CRMs are most commonly used in the mining industry to monitor bias in chemical analyses of geological samples. Critical concentrations in mining operations are cutoff and head grades and CRMs are generally selected to approximate these grades. CRMs are usually inserted at a frequency of 1 in 20 to 1 in 30 into the sample stream and the results produced by the laboratory are then compared against the certified values. CRM blanks are devoid of the metal(s) of interest and are used to monitor contamination within the laboratory.
  • Are you ISO accredited?
    Yes, we are accredited to ISO 17034:2016 (General Requirement for Competence of Reference Material Producers). We are also certified to ISO 9001:2015 for our Quality Management System including development, manufacturing, certification and supply of CRMs.
  • Are your products classified as hazardous?
    There are two classes – non-radioactive and radioactive. The non-radioactive CRMs are sterile and non-hazardous. The radioactive class of OREAS® CRMs contain sufficiently low levels of U and Th radioactive isotopes and do not classify as dangerous goods for shipping purposes. Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for each product are available under Downloads and on the individual CRM detail pages (click any CRM in our eStore).
  • When will out of stock products become available again?
    It won’t be but a replacement may be available. Due to the unique characteristics of each CRM made from naturally occurring ore and rock materials an exact replication is not possible. We produce a new CRM of similar characteristics as a replacement product. It is then assigned a unique code and certification.
  • How do I create an Account?
    You can create an account at the end of Checkout or by selecting 'Create Quote' before completing Checkout on our Store.

    Follow these steps:

    1. Select a product and continue with Checkout.
    2. Follow the steps and before selecting 'Make Payment' you can select 'Create Quote' and complete the 'Create Account' section. Or Create an Account after completing Checkout.
    3. That's it! You can now login with your details saved for quick and easy checkout.

Technical

  • Can labels printed on reference material packets be removed?

    Yes, printed labels can easily be removed with rubbing alcohol or using a whiteboard marker by colouring in the label, then wiping it off with paper towel or a cloth.

  • How can I evaluate the accuracy of a CRM?
    A measure of accuracy is given by the 95% Confidence Interval or the Expanded Uncertainty. The smaller the interval, the more reliable the Certified Value. Please see our Using CRMs section for further information.
  • Are OREAS® CRMs natural or synthetic?
    All our CRMs are made from 100% natural source materials.
  • Why don’t you make synthetic gold CRMs?
    We do not compromise on quality; therefore, we only prepare CRMs from natural source materials. The problem with synthetic gold CRMs, often made by adding gold ‘dust’ to barren rocks, is that the robustness of the fire assay method is not tested. Unlike natural ores, all the gold is liberated in a synthetic CRM regardless of the efficacy of the fire assay process. It is easy for laboratories to assay for gold when it is already liberated but this does not evaluate the laboratory’s performance for gold occluded in quartz and refractory gold ores associated with sulphides, tellurides and other minerals. The laboratory may report acceptable gold assays for synthetic CRMs but there could be an undetected low bias due to a fusion problem with your samples.
  • What is the shelf life of a CRM?
    Most OREAS CRMs are packaged in laminated foil sachets or airtight plastic jars. The laminated foil used offers a superior barrier against moisture and air and for long term use this is the recommended packaging type. Materials that are prone to oxidation are packaged under nitrogen to prolong shelf life. The shelf life of all OREAS CRMs is at least 10 years from the date of packaging. After 10 years materials should be thoroughly inspected for degradation prior to use.

Payment Information

Ordering

Shipping and delivery

  • Do you ship internationally?
    Yes, we ship worldwide to over 130 countries. Please use the drop-down list in the ‘Shipping’ section at Checkout to see if your country is available for shipping.
  • Do you deliver to PO Boxes?
    No. Unfortunately our courier companies are unable to make deliveries to Post Office Boxes.
  • Who pays for duties/taxes?
    Import duties, taxes and charges are the customer’s responsibility. Please check with your country’s customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to placing your order if you have any concerns.
  • When will my order be shipped?
    Products in stock (pre-packaged) are shipped within 1-3 business days after receipt of payment. Product not in stock (un-packaged) will take up to 14 days to be shipped. We will advise if there are any further delays to your order.
  • Are you open on weekends?
    No. Our sales support team operate Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm (AEST/GMT+10 | AEDT/GMT+11).
  • How do I track my order?
    Once your order has been shipped, we will provide you with a parcel tracking link via email.
  • Returns
    You may return any product in its original condition within 30 days from the date of purchase and receive a full refund minus any shipping costs (including custom fees).
  • Exchanges
    We do offer exchanges however all shipping charges (including custom fees) and any differences in product prices are the responsibility of the customer. We do not charge a restocking fee.
  • Faulty Products
    If you suspect a product is faulty, please contact our Sales support team, and we will assist you with a replacement or suitable product substitute.