Lecture 15 (11/15/2006)

Analytical Mineralogy
Part 2:
Optical Properties of Uniaxial
Minerals

Anisotropy
Indicies of refraction can vary in all minerals
(except those in the isometric system)
depending on the orientation of light ray.
Such minerals are said to be anisotropic.
Isometric minerals, glass, liquids and gasses
have a single refraction index value
regardless of the orientation of light rays.
Such substances are said to be isotropic.

Optical Indicatrices
A 3-d map of the indices of refraction for various vibration
directions of light rays
Orientation of the indicatrix within a mineral is symmetrical with the
crystallographic axis

Isotropic
Isometric

Anisotropic Uniaxial AnisotropicBiaxial

Orthorhombic
Tetragonal
Monoclinic
Hexagonal
Triclinic

Isotropic Indicatrix
A sphere whose radius corresponds to
the characteristic refraction index- n

n=c/v
=c/

6563 Red

5893Yellow

4861Blue

Diagram shows change in n for different

wavelengths of light in same mineral

Optical Recognition of Isotropic Minerals

Total Extinction
under X-polars

Slowing of ray
= shortening of
wavelength, but
no change in
polarity

From Bloss (1961)

Slow ray

Fast ray

Anistropic
Minerals
All randomly oriented
anisotropic minerals
cause double refraction
(splitting) of light
resulting in mutually
perpendicular-polarized
light rays.
One ray has a higher n
(slow ray, or the
ordinary ray) than the
other ray (the fast ray,
or extraordinary ray)

Birefringence (), Retardation(), and

Interference Colors
= nslow ray nfast ray

= d*

Uniaxial Indicatrix
Optic Axis
= C axis in tetragonal
and hexagonal crystals

Sections of Uniaxial Indicatrices

= - = 0 (circular section)
= - (random section)
= - (principal section)
maximum birefringence

Total
extinction in
x-polar light

Double Refraction
through Random
Sections of Uniaxial
Minerals

Single Refraction
through Circular
and Principal
Sections of Uniaxial
Minerals

Re-Polarization of Light through a Non-circular

Section of the Uniaxial Indicatrix

Extinction of Uniaxial Minerals

Orthoscopic

Conoscopic

Conoscopic
Interference
Figures of Uniaxial
Minerals
Isochromes zones of
equal retardation

Isogyres represent the

areas where the and
vibration directions are
oriented N-S, E-W

Uniaxial
Optic Axis
(OA)
Figure
Circular section
parallel to stage
=0

Off-centered OA Figure
Random section parallel to stage, < 0, max

Very Off-centered OA Figure

Random section parallel to stage,

0, < max

Flash Figure
Principal section parallel to stage,

= max

Determining the Optic Sign of

Uniaxial Minerals
+
Connect the quadrants
that go down in color
(to yellow), compare
with slow direction of
gypsum plate for sign

Next Lecture 11/20/06

Optical Properties of Biaxial Minerals
Read:

Klein p. 303-309
Perkins and Henke, p. 22-27