A technique of matching the ratios of elemental concentrations of a sample with the equivalent ratios of other samples is described. The resulting correlations are indications of potential gerneric relationships among the samples. Experimental data based on 91 sediments analyzed for eight elements by neutron activation analysis are used to demonstrate the ability of the method. Three typical examples show the relatively high correlations achieved between samples for which close generic relationships could be explained, post facto, by geographical evidence.