APPENDIX A

HIPERBOLIC METHOD DISCUSSION

Evaluation of Twin and Duplicate Samples
The Hyperbolic Method: Discussion
Armando Simn (AMEC International Chile).

The evaluation procedure of the twin and duplicate samples involves the preparation of
Min-Max plots1, a particular version of the X-Y plots, where the maximum and minimum
values of the sample pairs are plotted in the y and x axis, respectively. This way, all the
points fall on, or above, the x=y line.
Linear equations (y=mx; y=mx+b) are often used to evaluate duplicate data, but the
decrease of precision near the detection limits generally leads to conciliatory nonconventional solutions when dealing with such low values. To prevent this problem, the
Hyperbolic Method has been developed as an alternative solution. With this method, each
duplicate pair oi and di (where oi is the original value and di is the duplicate value) is
evaluated against the hyperbolic quadratic equation y2=m2x2+b2 (for x, y0, where y is
defined as max [oi, di], x is defined as min [oi, di], m is the slope of the asymptote and b the
value of the intercept). Near the detection limit, the hyperbolic line (considered as the
failure line) departs from the asymptote, thus allowing lower precision pairs (with higher
values of the relative error2) to be accepted; away from the detection limit, the hyperbolic
line tends asymptotically to a line of constant slope m (see Figure 1).
The value of m is calculated from the relative error equation, considering that at the
asymptote line di = m*oi, and it is chosen for the limiting relative error required for the
particular type of duplicates undergoing evaluation. AMEC recommends the following
values for m: 1.35 for twin samples (corresponding to a 30% relative error), 1.22 for coarse
duplicates (corresponding to a 20% relative error) and 1.11 for pulp duplicates
(corresponding to a 10% relative error). These performance levels are more easily attained
for base metals than for precious metals, and may not be attainable if there is a nugget
effect.
The value of b is conditionally established, depending on the type of material, as some
integer multiple of the analytical detection limit (10 to 20 times for twin samples, 6 to 10
times for coarse duplicates and 3 to 5 times for pulp duplicates). Sample pairs with relative
errors exceeding the limiting values according to the equation (situated above the failure
line) are considered failures and are flagged for review.

This procedure has been developed by Scott Long (AMEC).

Relative error: calculated as the absolute value of the difference between the original and the duplicate
values, divided by the average of the two values, or RE=2*|oi - di|/(oi + di); also know as Absolute Value of
the Relative Error, or the Absolute Value of the Relative Difference.
2

Figure 1: Failure Line Alternatives

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2.7

Failure line
alternatives

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2.1

x=y line
Max Value

1.8
Case 1
Case 2
Case 3
45 deg

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1.2

2 2

Case 1: y =m x +b
Case 2: y=mx
Case 3: y=mx+b

0.9

0.6

0.3

0.0
0.0

0.3

0.6

0.9

1.2

1.5

1.8

2.1

Min Value

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