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Preparation Blanks vs Reagent Blanks: They Are Not the Same.

Orelysis Geosciences

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Blank materials are essential QA/QC tools for detecting contamination. However, the type of blank used determines what contamination source it monitors — and using the wrong blank type leads to gaps in the contamination detection system.

Reagent blank (method blank):
– A blank solution carried through the full digestion and analysis procedure using only reagents (no sample matrix).
– Monitors: reagent purity, labware cleanliness, and airborne contamination during digestion.
– Does not capture: contamination introduced during physical sample preparation (crushing, milling).

Preparation blank (coarse blank or pulp blank):
– A low-grade or barren rock material physically processed through the full preparation sequence alongside the samples.
– Monitors: cross-contamination from equipment surfaces, carryover from previous high-grade samples, and dust contamination in the preparation environment.
– This is the critical blank type for geochemical sample preparation.

The classic carryover scenario: a high-grade gold sample is crushed and pulverised on a jaw crusher and ring mill. Residual gold particles remain on equipment surfaces. The next sample — even after cleaning — picks up trace contamination. A preparation blank inserted after the high-grade sample will detect this. A reagent blank will not.

Orelysis Geosciences

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