TS ISO 11648-1

TS ISO 11648-1 is a foundational standard for the statistical side of sampling from bulk materials. It addresses not only how samples are taken in practice, but also how the resulting data should be treated statistically, with particular attention to average quality characteristics, variance, precision and bias.

What this standard is about in practice

In general technical terms, bulk materials are substances such as ores, coal, grains, powders or granulated chemicals that consist of many individual particles. Their composition may vary from place to place within the lot, so sampling is both a physical operation and a statistical one. The standard establishes general principles for the application and statistical treatment of bulk-material sampling, helping users think about representativeness, variability and uncertainty in a structured way.

Serial data and dependence in measurements

The document also provides information on statistical analyses of serial data through variograms and correlograms. These tools are used to examine how nearby observations relate to each other, which can reveal patterns such as clustering, gradual change or autocorrelation across a material stream or lot. In addition, the inclusion of basic terms and definitions supports a common technical vocabulary for sampling techniques and makes it easier to formulate and apply requirements consistently.

• Provides a statistical framework for investigating average quality characteristics.
• Gives general guidance and examples for estimating necessary variances.
• Addresses checking precision and bias at a conceptual level.
• Introduces the use of variograms and correlograms for serial data analysis.
• Defines basic terms needed to understand bulk-material sampling techniques.