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Glaucophane
Glaucophane
Note the anomalous blue-gray interference colors in the glaucophane in this slide.
Amphibole
Hornblende
Note the characteristic ~120 degree cleavage angles in some sections and the brown to green. pleochroism.
Hornblende
Note in some sections the ~120 degree cleavage angles which are diagnostic of amphiboles.
Amphibole
Tremolite
Talc forms the fine-grained matrix between the prismatic crystals of tremolite in this rock. Note the ~120 degree cleavages in some of the tremolite sections.
Andalusite
UNC sample NM-1 Rock type andalusite-biotite schist Locality New Mexico
This is an andalusite porphyroblast with poikiloblastic texture. Also note how the foliation (oriented roughly N-S in this view) is wrapped around the left and right corners of this grain, suggesting synkinematic growth of the andalusite porphyroblast.
Mica
Biotite
UNC sample GSR X0720 Rock type garnet-mica schist Locality unknown
Note the red-brown pleochroism and the characteristic black pleochroic haloes (caused by radiation damage).
Biotite
UNC sample GSR X0720 Rock type garnet-mica schist Locality unknown
Mica
Muscovite
Muscovite
This grain is shown at maximum birefringnence. Take a look at this grain at extinction to see muscovite's wonderful "bird's eye" mottling.
The feldspars in this alaskite from the Boulder Batholith have been largely replaced by fine-grained muscovite (sericite). In this rock, sericite is a product of hydrothermal alteration.
Calcite
Calcite
Note the rhombohedral cleavage and very high order interference colors.
Chlorite
Chlorite defines the foliation in this rock, which also shows some crenulation cleavage.
Chloritoid
This plane-light view highlights the sector zoning in these chloritoid porphyroblasts.
Chloritoid
These stubby crystals are chloritoid porphyroblasts. You can just barely see the anomalous green interference color at the edge of some of the grains. Despite the name, chloritoid really doesn't look anything like chlorite.
Ellenbergerite
UNC sample TS-40 (K. Stewart) Rock type qtz-ky-gtmusc schist Locality Dora Maira massif, Parigi, Italy
The dark reddish-purple grain in the center of this photomicrograph is ellenbergerite, an extremely rare, high-pressure Mg-Al-Ti-silicate, which here forms an inclusion in nearly pure endmember pyrope garnet from the famous Dora Maira massif of Italy.
Epidote
UNC sample EU-81 Rock type Biotite granite gneiss Locality Moine, Scotland
Note the fairly high relief of epidote, the highly fractured mineral in this photomicrograph.
Epidote
UNC sample EU-81 Rock type Biotite granite gneiss Locality Moine, Scotland
Note the high-order interference colors of epidote. This slide is actually cut a little thin, and doesn't show the third-order colors that epidote may display in some sections.
Microcline (K-feldspar)
Cross-hatched (or "tartan") twinning in microcline. Contrast this with polysynthetic twinning in plagioclase feldspar.
Feldspar
Plagioclase
This slide showcases one of plagioclase's very common features: its polysynthetic twinning. Contrast this with twinning in microcline (Kfeldspar).
Garnet
UNC sample GSR X0720 Rock type garnet-mica schist Locality unknown
Garnet
UNC sample GSR X0720 Rock type garnet-mica schist Locality unknown
Kyanite
UNC sample NC-349 Rock type kyanite-garnetmica schist Locality near Durham, NC
Kyanite
UNC sample NC-349 Rock type kyanite-garnetmica schist Locality near Durham, NC
Leucite
UNC sample 1790 (card) Rock type leucite basalt Locality unknown
Leucite
UNC sample 1790 (card) Rock type leucite basalt Locality unknown
Nepheline
Olivine
Almost all of the grains in this rock are olivine. Note the high order interference colors and the minor secondary calcite.
Augite (Clinopyroxene)
UNC sample in "norite" card Rock type clinopyroxenite Locality West Point, GA
Note the pigeonite twin lamellae in this grain. Pigeonite is a Ca-poor clinopyroxene.
Augite (Clinopyroxene)
UNC sample "norite" card Rock type clinopyroxenite Locality West Point, GA
Note the pigeonite twin lamellae in this grain. Pigeonite is a Ca-poor clinopyroxene. Besides clinopyroxene's 2nd order colors, another way to distinguish clinopyroxene from orthopyroxene is by clinopyroxene's inclined extinction.
Hypersthene (Orthopyroxene)
UNC sample PP-12 Rock type bronzitite (orthopyroxenite) Locality Stillwater complex, MT
Hypersthene can be identified from its characteristic rose-colored pleochroism which is exhibited by the grain in the center. Watch what happens to the color of this grain upon rotation of the stage.
Hypersthene (Orthopyroxene)
UNC sample PP-12 Rock type bronzitite (orthopyroxenite) Locality Stillwater complex, MT
Orthopyroxenes are noted for having low, first-order interference colors. Also note the cleavages that intersect at about 90 degrees. Another identifying characteristic of orthopyroxene is its parallel extinction.
Piemontite
Piemontite
Quartz
Quartz
This slide shows quartz in a range of crystal orientations, all having lowfirst order interference colors.
Coesite
UNC sample TS-41 (K. Stewart) Rock type qtz-ky-gt-musc schist Locality Dora Maira massif, Parigi, Italy
Coesite (center of inclusion) and recrystallized quartz (borders of inclusion) form a tiny inclusion in nearly pure endmember pyrope garnet from the famous Dora Maira massif of Italy. The presence of coesite (a high-pressure polymorph of quartz) indicates that this rock saw extremly high pressures during metamorphism (probably more than 28 kbar).
UNC sample TS-42 (K. Stewart) Rock type qtz-ky-gt-musc schist Locality Dora Maira Massif, Parigi, Italy
The region of coarser-grained quartz in the upper center portion of this photomicrograph was probably originally occopied by coesite, the highpressure polymorph of quartz. Metamorphic rocks from the Dora Maira Massif show other evidence of being exhumed from EXTREMELY deep levels in thickened crust.
Staurolite
The "swiss cheese" look (i.e., poikiloblastic texture) of these staurolite porphyroblasts is typical for this mineral. Also note the strong banana yellow pleochroism.
Staurolite
The "swiss cheese" look (i.e., poikiloblastic texture) of these staurolite porphyroblasts is typical for this mineral.
Stilpnomelane
Stilpnomelane looks alot like biotite (same habit and color) but lacks the "bird's eye" extinction that biotite displays. Actually, the stilpnomelane in this slide has a more acicular habit than most biotite.
Stilpnomelane
Stilpnomelane looks alot like biotite (same habit and color) but lacks the "bird's eye" extinction that biotite displays. Actually, the stilpnomelane in this slide has a more acicular habit than most biotite.
Talc
Talc forms the fine-grained matrix between the prismatic crystals of tremolite in this rock. Note the fine-grain size and the extremely high interference colors of the talc.
Titanite (Sphene)
Titanite typically forms wedge-shaped crystals like this one. Also notice the extremely high relief.
Titanite (Sphene)
Titanite typically forms wedge-shaped crystals like this one. Also notice the extremely high interference colors.
Tourmaline
This slide shows zoned trigonal cross-sections and elongate sections. Note green to brown pleochroism. Tourmaline may also display bluish pleochroism.
Tourmaline
This slide shows extinct trigonal cross-sections and elongate sections displaying maximum birefringence. The matrix is quartz.
Vesuvianite (Idocrase)
Vesuvianite (Idocrase)
Vesuvianite displays the deepest indigo blue anomalous interference colors you've ever seen!