Trace element concentrations in BIR‐1 basalt have been determined by isotope dilution‐spark source mass spectrometry, high performance liquid chromatography and laser ionization mass spectrometry. Of particular interest are the low abundance elements Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf, Th, U, Rb, Cs for which published data vary extremely. Our analyses of most trace elements in four different batches of BIR‐1, however, agree within 10% indicating that these large differences cannot be caused by heterogeneities of the powders but may be attributed to analytical problems. Based on own and recently published data, an attempt is made to assign “preferred values” for BIR‐1 which are at variance with several published consensus or working values by as much as a fa