MINERALOGY

CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF MINERALS

Each mineral has a crystallised structure and almost a definite chemical composition.

The properties which are related directly to the chemical composition of the minerals are:

1. ISOMORPHISM

2. POLYMORPHISM

3. PSEUDOMORPHISM
 CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF MINERALS

1. ISOMORPHISM:

When the minerals show continuous variation in their chemical composition, but their crystal structure

remains almost same.

e.g: Plagioclase Feldspar

2. POLYMORPHISM:

When minerals have identical chemical composition but different atomic structure called polymorphs

and the phenomenon is called polymorphism.

3. PSEUDOMORPHISM:

Mineral pseudomorphs are formed when a mineral is replaced by another without any change in the

outer form of the original mineral.

e.g: pieces of fossil wood where the wood fibres have been replaced by silica.
MINERAL IDENTIFICATION USING THE
PETROGRAPHIC MICROSCOPE
Optical Microscopy
• Study of how light passes through thin sections – rock cut and
polished to about 0.3 mm thickness
• Use properties of light absorption and propogation through a mineral
→ affected by atomic arrangement and composition
• Learn the properties of light associated with techniques governing the
use of a petrographic microscope
 OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF MINERALS

• They properties determined with the help of a polarizing or petrological microscope.

• Study of how light passes through thin

sections – rock cut and polished to

about 0.3 mm thickness

• Use properties of light absorption and

propogation through a mineral →

affected by atomic arrangement and

composition
SOME TERMINOLOGIES:

• Ordinary light

it travels in straight lines with a transverse motion i.e. it vibrates in all directions at right angles to
the direction of propagation

• Polarised light

when the vibration of wave motion is confined to a single plane only the light is called polarized
light. The plane along which the vibrations take place is known as plane of vibration.

• Refractive index

Refractive Index of a mineral can be expressed as the ration of velocity of light in air to the
velocity of light in a mineral.
• Isotropic mineral

those minerals in which light travels in with same velocity in all directions.

• Anisotropic mineral

those minerals in which velocity of light travels varies.

Double Refraction

• when a ray of unpolarized light travels through anisotropic crystal it breaks into polarized rays by breaking

it into mutually perpendicular rays

• one which obeys the laws of refraction is known as ordinary ray or the O-ray and the second ray which

does not obey the these laws is known as extraordinary ray or E-ray
• O-Ray travels with the same velocity or direction through the crystal. It has a constant refractive index

• in case of E-ray the velocity changes with the variation of its path to the crystal and therefore it
refractive index also changes.
OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF MINERALS

1. COLOUR

2. PLEOCHROISM

3. RELIEF

4. REFRACTIVE INDEX

5. FORM

6. CLEAVAGE

7. FRACTURE

8. BIREFRINGENCE

9. EXTINCTION

10. TWINNING
OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF MINERALS

1. COLOUR

it is a useful distinguishing property .

it is apparent in thin sections where

minerals undergo a change in colour
as they are rotated in polarized light.

2. RELIEF Biotite Crystals Hornblende crystals

when we look at thin sections we

notice that some minerals are clearly
visible while others appear almost
featureless.

this property is known as relief.

e. g.: low relief – plagioclase

high relief - clinopyroxene

 OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF MINERALS
3. PLEOCHROISM

• The term “pleochroism” comes from the Greek:

pleos – many; chromos – colours.

• A mineral shows pleochroism when the

absorption colour changes when the stage is
rotated.

• This happens when the mineral is anisotropic.

• All anisotropic coloured minerals have Pleochroism in Biotite when the stage is rotated 90°
pleochroism.

• However, the intensity of pleochroism (the

changing of colour) can be different (from
strong to weak).

• Common examples shown here include strong

pleochroism of biotite and hornblende. Pleochroism in Hornblende when the stage is rotated 90°
 OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF MINERALS

4. FORM

minerals may show three types of forms under the microscope

If the grain boundaries are well developed , the grain is called euhedral (idiomorphic).

If the grain shows irregular boundaries only, the grain is anhedral (xenomorphic).

If the grain has both regular and irregular boundaries, it is subhedral (hypidiomorphic).

5. CLEAVAGE

Cleavages are planar surfaces of low

cohesion produced by weaker atom bonds
across them.
 OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF MINERALS
6. BIREFRINGENCE:

• It is the difference in the refractive index of O-Ray and E- Ray

7. EXTINCTION:

• When the rotational direction of an anisotropic mineral coincides with those of the polarizer and analyser, the
mineral appears dark.

• this position of the anisotropic mineral is known as position of extinction

• Parallel Extinction: The mineral grain is extinct when the cleavage or length is aligned with one of the
crosshairs.
Example Orthopyroxene, Biotite
• Inclined Extinction: The mineral is extinct when the cleavage is at an angle to the crosshairs.
Example: Clinopyroxene, Hornblende
Wavy Extinction:

Example: quartz

Quartz

Clinopyroxene
8. TWINNING

If more than two crystals are twinned, having parallel twinning planes, the twinning is called
polysynthetic (sometimes also called lamellar twinning).

Plagioclase commonly shows lamellar twinning. Such twinning is one of the most diagnostic features
of plagioclase.

Polysynthetic albite-type Tartan twinning, microcline – K-

twins in plagioclase feldspar Carlsbad twinning, in Orthoclase
FORMATION OF MINERALS

1. Solidification of Magma

• by the process known as crystallization

• e. gold, silver, tin, copper, lead, zinc etc.

2. Solidification from gaseous state directly

• it is a rare process occurring near active volcanoes.

• e.g: sulphur, silicon

3. Metamorphism

• e.g. Kyanite, Sillimanite, Andalusite

4. Precipitation and evaporation

• e.g : Anhydrite, Gypsum, Calcite