GUIDE TO THIN SECTION MICROSCOPY, Second Edition

Abstract

There are numerous textbooks that provide detailed accounts of the determinative techniques of polarized-light microscopy as well as the crystal-optical background for examining transparent amorphous and crystalline phases (glasses, minerals, synthetic substances). Hence, there is no need for a comprehensive presentation of that material in the following introduction to mineral determination in thin section. For practical work at the polarized-light microscope it is sufficient to summarise the necessary facts such that even users without an in-depth knowledge of mineralogy can follow the instructions. Fundamentals of crystal optics and crystallography are included only where they are crucial for explaining the observed optical phenomena and the morphological properties of crystals. The identification of minerals under the polarized-light microscope is based on optical and morphological properties. Books that contain extensive listings of such properties provide the data basis for the vast number of natural minerals and synthetic phases (see reference list). This guide is based on a previously published text that has been widely used in the German- speaking world, but is now out of print: “Methoden der Dünnschliffmikroskopie” by G. Müller and M. Raith (Clausthaler Tektonische Hefte, vol.14). We adopted this text to a large degree, revising the figures using modern graphics software, and adding many more figures and photomicrographs to illustrate the various phenomena described in the text. We hope that this guide will provide students with the necessary basics to master and successfully apply polarized-light microscopy. Suggestions are always welcome! January 2011 Preface Michael M. Raith, Peter Raase & Jürgen Reinhardt II