The third edition of Introduction to Optical Mineralogy provides comprehensive coverage of the optical properties of minerals. It describes in detail more than 125 common rock-forming minerals and a selection of common ore minerals. Revised chapters on optical theory discuss the petrographic microscope, the nature and properties of light, the behavior of light in isotropic and anisotropic materials, and uniaxial and biaxial anisotropic optics. Ideal for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in optical mineralogy, this accessible text is also an essential resource for petrology/petrography courses.
Features of the Third Edition:
Includes a new section on reflected light optics
Reorganizes material so that silicates-which comprise over 95% of the earth's crust-are discussed first in order to reflect their abundance and petrologic significance
Contains numerous photomicrographs and revised illustrations throughout
Provides step-by-step procedures for using the petrographic microscope and a flow chart detailing the process of identifying unknown minerals
Author(s): William D. Nesse
Edition: 3
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Year: 2004
Language: English
City: New York
Tags: optical mineralogy
Preface xi
Chapter 1: Light 1
Chapter 2: The Petrographic Microscope 14
Chapter 3: Refractometry 25
Chapter 4: Optics of Isotropic Minerals 34
Chapter 5: Optics of Anisotropic Minerals: Introduction 37
Chapter 6: Uniaxial Optics 53
Chapter 7: Biaxial Optics 76
Chapter 8: Reflected Light Optics 110
Chapter 9: Identification of Minerals 122
Chapter 10: Framework Silicates 128
Chapter 11: Sheet Silicates 164
Chapter 12: Chain Silicates 184
Chapter 13: Disilicates and Ring Silicates 223
Chapter 14: Orthosilicates 241
Chapter 15: Carbonates, Borates, Sulfates, and Phosphates 262
Chapter 16: Native Elements, Sulfides, Halides, Oxides, and Hydroxides 285
Appendix A: Sample Preparation 316
Appendix B: Identification Tables 319
Appendix C: Mineral Associations 335
Mineral Index 339
Subject Index 343
