MINERAL

UBAHAN

Allanite in a metaluminous
granite. This allanite has
concentric zoning resulting
from changing mineral
composition during
successive stages of
growth. Allanite contains
substantial amounts of Th
and U, and sustains
considerable radiation
damage over time.

The allanite grain has

low birefringence, a
result of radiation
damage that essentially
turns the crystal lattice
into a glass

Chlorite replacing biotite in a

muscovite granite. Small
residual brownish patches of
biotite still occur, as do dark bits
of rutile or titanite

The low first order, anomalous

Berlin blue interference color
indicates that this is an Fe-rich
chlorite, as are the high
birefringence patches of
residual biotite.

Chlorite replacing biotite in

a metaluminous granite.
The green chlorite has only
replaced the biotite on the
top left of side of the biotite
grain.

The chlorite mostly has an

low first order interference
color, indicative of Mg-rich
chlorite. The purple
regions are of intermediate
composition. The adjacent
biotite has third order
birefringence.

Sericite replacing plagioclase

in a metaluminous granite.
Sericite is grungy-looking finegrained stuff that commonly
replaces feldspars

Sericite generally made up of

very small crystals, its
birefringence is irregular and
generally low. Some of the
larger crystals can be seen
here to have first order
birefringence. Albite twinning
in the plagioclase is clearly
visible.

Sericite replacing plagioclase

in a metaluminous granite. At
higher magnification, some of
the grungy-looking clearly
resolves into little, colorless,
platy crystals.

The crystals now clearly have

up to middle first order
birefringence. They have a
positive sign of elongation
and are probably small white
micas that grew during
subsolidus hydrothermal
alteration

Serpentine in an altered
harzbergite nodule in a
kimberlite. Much of this
sample is made up of
calcite (colorless) and talc
(darker browns). The
serpentine is the yellowish
material that occupies the
thin veins.
The calcite has very high
birefringence, and the talc has
irregular second and third
order interference colors that
are modified by the brown
staining. The serpentine is
most easily seen in the veins,
and veins have lower first
order birefringence and fibers
perpendicular to the vein
walls.