Rock Thin Sections

Use of a digital microscope

Dr Peter Copley
Newcastle College
June 2004

Philip Harris (Motic)

Microscope
Cost: about 1200

The Microscope

Binocular
eyepiece
(x10)

Objective
Lenses
(x4,x10,x40,
X100 oe)

Digital camera

Main
Power
switch

Camera
power

Power
input

usb

No polarising facilities

Adequate for basic textural

images.
Exam papers only use/expect
monochromatic
drawings.

Acknowledgement

Thin sections
Geology department
Keele University

Sedimentary Rocks

Desert sandstone (x40)

Keele Sandstone (x40)

Sherwood Sandstone (x40)

Bunter Sst

Oolitic Limestone (x40)

Limestone calcite crystals in shell (x100)

Arkose (x40)

Igneous Rocks

Peridotite (x40)

Olivine

Pyroxene

Porphyrytic Olivine Basalt

Groundmass

Ophitic Texture (x40)

Feldspar

Pyroxene

Zoned Olivine crystal (x40)

Spherulitic Pitchstone (x40)

Metamorphic Rocks

Garnet Mica Schist (x100)

Mica

Chiastolite Slate (x40)

Gneiss (x40)

Felsic minerals

Mafic minerals

Sillimanite needles (x400)

Kyanite & Biotite (x100)

Alternatively

What if you cannot afford 1200?

A cheaper alternative!
About 40
But discontinued in 2002
by Intel.
But now available.

60 from www.thepcstore.co.uk

Dont expect the image quality to be as good!!!

Oolitic Limestone (x60)

Porphyritic Basalt (x60)

Feldspar

Pyroxene

Ophitic Texture (x60)

Chiastolite Slate (x60)

Will it do???

Thats up to you!

THE END