So, if the tags to identify the batch of cores were inside the bag and all the buckets with the bags of core were put into a room in no particular order I can see why management didn't want to throw the lab under the bus. If management specified that the buckets were in the proper order and the lab didn't follow instructions then I could see blaming the lab. But having the identity of each sample inside the bag was probably the mistake and because 43-101 regulation calls for the contents of the bag to be assayed as soon as they are open, the samples were from random pieces of the core in no particular order. I'm willing to bet that now the bags are identified on the outside of the bag.
Interesting stuff!
Skialta39