CONVENER

Dr. Maria Angeles Gomez Borrego
Instituto Nacional del Carbón, CSIC
PO Box 73,
33080 Oviedo
SPAIN

Tel: 34 98 5119090
Fax: 34 98 529 7662
E-mail: angeles@incar.csic.es

Objective

The group was created in 1999 (Bucharest) to test and discuss a qualifying system for vitrinite particles in order to determine the quality of reflectance data.

Milestones

• The labelling system initially proposed by J. Koch (BGR, Hannover) was discussed, tested and modified to improve the definitions.
• At the meeting in Utrecht (2003) it was thought that the system was ready to be tested on microscopy samples and an exercise was organised. Four shale samples were analysed by 22 participants in 2004. The results indicated that no benefit was found in labelling and averaging vitrinite particles of selected quality to calculate the mean compared to using total average readings.
• The results showed on the other hand that applying the actual tools to test bias and precision in the ICCP accreditation programs, the participants had results within reasonable limits and therefore an accreditation program on reflectance measurement of DOM could be initiated.
• The WG was officially closed in 2004 and the next couple of years were invested in the dissemination of the results and the preparation of a training kit for DOM vitrinite reflectance analysis. The material produced was:
  • Results of 2002 Round Robin based on microscopy images
  • Results of 2003 Round Robin based on microscopy images. Improved definitions.
  • Results of a microscopy exercise on 4 samples of different origin and organic matter content:
    • Long publication
    • Short publication
  • Training Kit for DOM Vitrinite Reflectance Analysis
  
  
  

A training kit containing 4 mounted blocks and a CD entitled Qualifying Vitrinite for DOM reflectance analysis is available from the ICCP Editor at a cost of 120 € (ICCP members = 40 €). The CD comprises the results of the WG over the years including more than 300 vitrinite images classified by participants and the spread of result sheets, allowing participants to test their proximity to the group mean. All the material needed to run the exercises is also available.