Sample integrity starts in the field

Sample integrity begins with an agreed field process. Collection intervals, identification, handling and responsibility for each stage should be understood before the drilling starts. These arrangements allow the project team to connect a sample with its origin and assess the information it provides.

For core, careful handling and orderly trays help preserve geological information and the sequence recovered from the hole. With cuttings, consistent collection and splitting are important to the agreed sampling approach. Both require attention to labelling and to the possibility that material may be lost, mixed or affected during handling.

Field conditions do not always remain as expected. When the process changes, the reason and the relevant observations should be recorded so the project team can assess the implications. Traceability depends on a consistent routine and on clear communication when that routine cannot be maintained.