GEOCHEMICAL STANDARD REFERENCE SAMPLES GSD 9–12, GSS 1–8 AND GSR 1–6

The 18 Chinese geochemical standard reference samples GSD 9-12 (stream sediments), GSS 1-8 (soils) and GSR 1-6 (rocks) were prepared after GSD 1-8 (stream sediments) for even wider and increasing needs of geology, exploration geochemistry and geochemical analysis. Usable values of 41 trace, minor and major elements of the 18 samples were published in 1984. In the following two years, efforts were concentrated on the determination of other elements, most of which are more difficult to determine accurately and hence not many data were available in the literature. At the same time, additional data on the 41 elements already evaluated were also submitted. In all, 155 234 results were available along with the 35 284 analytical data submitted. The processing of samples, the examination of sample homogeneity, the plan of collaborative analysis of the samples, and the criteria for defining the recommended values are described. The recommended or reference values of the 72 constituents, to-gether with the 35 284 analytical data of the 18 samples are published in this paper.     

New Thorium Isotope Ratio Measurements in Silicate Reference Materials: A‐THO,AGV‐2, BCR‐2, BE‐N,BHVO‐2 and BIR‐1

A two‐step Th isolation protocol, involving micro‐columns of TRU‐Spec extraction chromatography material and AG1 resin, was evaluated. The MC‐ICP‐MS procedure included ²³²Th tailing characterisation and correction, and calibrator bracketing using an in‐house standard solution (ThS1) to correct for instrumental mass bias and Faraday cup to secondary electron multiplier relative gain. Repeated analyses of reference solutions (UCSC Th ‘A’, WUN, OU Th ‘U’, IRMM‐36) were consistent with published data. Six reference materials (A‐THO, BCR‐2, AGV‐2, BHVO‐2, BE‐N and BIR‐1) were processed. The average ²³⁰Th/²³²Th values obtained for these samples are in excellent agreement with published data. In addition, we report the first ²³⁰Th/²³²Th values for BE‐N and BIR‐1. The intermediate precisions for rock samples ranged from ± 0.24 to ± 0.49% (2 RSD) and were similar to those achieved for synthetic solutions, thereby supporting the overall validity of the chemical separation, data acquisition and reduction procedures. Counting statistics on the ²³⁰Th isotope was the most significant source of uncertainty. The intermediate precision of the mean ²³⁰Th/²³²Th for the Th‐depleted BIR‐1 (5.64 × 10^?6 ± 0.27%, 2 RSD) is in the range of the analyses of other reference materials analysed in this study.     

Emily Dix, palaeobotanist – a promising career cut short

Emily Dix, the Coal Measures palaeobotanist, was born on 21 May 1904. She was one of four daughters in a family of five children brought up in Penclawdd – a South Welsh cockling port then surrounded by coal and copper smelting industries near Swansea. Emily was a bright and gregarious girl, gaining at the age of 18 the Central Welsh Board Higher Certificate in History, Botany and Geography with distinctions in history and botany. Her success was an indication of what was to come.     

High‐Precision Sr‐Nd‐Hf‐Pb Isotopic Composition of Chinese Geological Standard Glass Reference Materials CGSG‐1, CGSG‐2, CGSG‐4 and CGSG‐5 by MC‐ICP‐MS and TIMS

To assess the homogeneity of and provide the first Sr‐Nd‐Hf‐Pb isotopic reference values for the Chinese Geological Standard Glasses CGSG‐1, CGSG‐2, CGSG‐4 and CGSG‐5, we measured these isotopes in several measurement sessions over the course of nearly 3 years. The results were obtained by high‐precision MC‐ICP‐MS and TIMS. Our investigation indicates that these CGSG glass reference materials are homogenous with regard to Sr‐Nd‐Hf‐Pb isotopic distribution and are therefore suitable geochemical materials for Sr‐Nd‐Hf‐Pb isotope measurements. Clear differences in Sr‐Nd‐Hf‐Pb isotopic composition were observed between the glasses and the original powdered rock reference materials (CGSG‐2 and GSR‐7, and especially CGSG‐5 and GSR‐2) because of flux addition during preparation of the glasses. The new Sr‐Nd‐Hf‐Pb isotope data provided here might be useful to the geochemical community for in situ and bulk analysis.