Biaxial Minerals in Thin Section

Biaxial Minerals in Thin Section volume 3a is an atlas of the optical and ancillary physical properties of biaxial minerals observable by transmitted light microscopy.  The books in this series are intended as a photographic reference to accompany the more traditional theory-focused optical mineralogy textbooks normally used by students and researchers.


Data for a variety of both common and rare species are tabulated: the Nickel-Strunz classification, an end-member formula emphasizing structural units, refractive indices, color/pleochroic scheme, absorption formula, relief, optic sign and 2V°, dispersion, birefringence, cleavage, optical orientation, and the typical geologic environment and common associated species.  To aid in identification, each data table concludes with a highlighted section on the most determinative characteristic properties of each featured mineral, as well as the comparative properties of optically-similar species.  A chapter on strategy and techniques, with an easy-to-follow flowchart-style format, aims to help the beginning petrographer develop a good microscopy skill set.  The minerals is this volume are arranged into B(+), B(+/-), and B(-) chapters, and are further organized by 2V° (increasing for B(+) minerals and decreasing for B(-) minerals); hence, minerals that are close to biaxial-indeterminate are grouped together for easy searching.


In addition to the tabulated data, each mineral is illustrated with high-resolution plane-polarized light (PPL) and crossed polars (XP) images.  Minerals whose optical properties vary with stage rotation are shown in multiple PPL images.  For some minerals, additional images of optic figures are also included (in particular to illustrate marked dispersion, a sometimes useful property that is often neglected in introductory optical mineralogy courses).  Each photo is accompanied by descriptive text that not only identifies the featured mineral, but also fully details the associated species.  The index cross-references associated species in each photo set.  For twenty of the 76 species described in this volume, photographs from multiple localities are included to show diversity of occurrence, associations, or properties.


Volume 3a focuses specifically on biaxial minerals and covers 76 species, including a selection of amphiboles, pyroxenes, pyroxenoids, micas, epidote group minerals, and feldspars.  The specific minerals included are:


aegirine (2 localities)

agrellite

allanite-(Ce)

anhydrite (2 localities)

astrophyllite

augite (2 localities)

barite

biotite (2 localities)

bronzite/hypersthene

charoite

chloritoid (2 localities)

chondrodite

chrysoberyl

clinozoisite

cordierite (2 localities)

diopside

dumortierite (2 localities)

eckermannite

enstatite

epidote (2 localities)

epidote-(Pb)/"hancockite"

ferriallanite-(Ce)

ferri-kaersutite

gageite

gedrite

glaucophane

hastingsite

hendricksite

hiortdahlite

inesite

kornerupine/prismatine (2 localities)

kosmochlor

kupletskite

kyanite (2 localities)

lamprophyllite

magnesio-hastingsite

melanotekite

microcline

miserite

monticellite

mosandrite

murmanite

muscovite (2 localities)

niocalite

norbergite

omphacite (2 localities)

orthoclase

paragonite

pargasite (3 localities)

pectolite

perovskite

phlogopite (2 localities)

piemontite

plagioclase

potassic-arfvedsonite

pyrophyllite

reedmergnerite

rhodonite

riebeckite

sanbornite

sanidine

sapphirine (3 localities)

sérandite (2 localities)

serpentine

sillimanite (2 localities)

staurolite (2 localities)

stilpnomelane

talc

titanite (3 localities)

titantaramellite

tremolite

tschermakite

ungarettiite

ussingite

yoderite

zoisite (3 localities)