Data Quality

Data quality was ensured by using several quality control methods:

1. Blanks: A method blank was created for each of the two rock digestion methods. These blanks ran through all of the same digestion steps as the rock samples. Method blanks ensure that contaminants from the rock digestion are accounted for in case they are found. Instrument blanks were also used to ensure that any contaminants introduced during the running of the ICPMS can be accounted for if found.
2. Internal Standards: Internal standards with Re, In and Ga were run to be able to correct for instrument drift after analysis.
3. Calibration Standards: A standard containing all of the REEs of interest was created so that the concentrations of each REE could be calculated with the calibration curve.
4. Single Element Standards: Selected based off interferences that will appear on REEs.