Lecture 15 (11/15/2006)

Analytical Mineralogy
Part 2:
Optical Properties of Uniaxial
Minerals
 Anisotropy
Indicies of refraction can vary in all minerals
(except those in the isometric system)
depending on the orientation of light ray.
Such minerals are said to be anisotropic.
Isometric minerals, glass, liquids and gasses
have a single refraction index value
regardless of the orientation of light rays.
Such substances are said to be isotropic.
 Optical Indicatrices
• A 3-d map of the indices of refraction for various vibration
directions of light rays
• Orientation of the indicatrix within a mineral is symmetrical with
the crystallographic axis

Isotropic Anisotropic – Uniaxial Anisotropic-

Biaxial
Isometric Tetragonal Orthorhombic
Hexagonal Monoclinic
Triclinic
 Isotropic Indicatrix
A sphere whose radius corresponds to
the characteristic refraction index- n

n=c/v
=c/

6563Å Red 5893ÅYellow 4861ÅBlue

Diagram shows change in n for different
wavelengths of light in same mineral
Optical Recognition of Isotropic Minerals
Total Extinction
under X-polars

Slowing of ray
= shortening of
wavelength, but
no change in
polarity

From Bloss (1961)

Slow ray
Fast ray Anistropic
Minerals
All randomly oriented
anisotropic minerals
cause double refraction
(splitting) of light
resulting in mutually
perpendicular-polarized
light rays.

One ray has a higher n

(slow ray, or the
ordinary ray) than the
other ray (the fast ray,
or extraordinary ray)
Birefringence (), Retardation(Δ), and
Interference Colors
 = nslow ray – nfast ray Δ = d* 
Uniaxial Indicatrix
Optic Axis
= C axis in tetragonal
and hexagonal crystals
Sections of Uniaxial Indicatrices
 = ω-ω = 0 (circular section)
 = ε’- ω (random section)
= ε - ω (principal section)
maximum birefringence

Total
extinction in
x-polar
light
Double Refraction
through Random
Sections of Uniaxial
Minerals

Single Refraction
through Circular
and Principal
Sections of Uniaxial
Minerals
Re-Polarization of Light through a Non-circular
Section of the Uniaxial Indicatrix
Extinction of Uniaxial Minerals
Orthoscopic Conoscopic
Conoscopic
Interference
Figures of Uniaxial
Minerals
Isochromes – zones of
equal retardation

Isogyres – represent the

areas where the ω and ε’
vibration directions are
oriented N-S, E-W
 Uniaxial
Optic Axis
(OA)
Figure

Circular section
parallel to stage
=0
 Off-centered OA Figure
Random section parallel to stage,  < 0, « max 
 Very Off-centered OA Figure
Random section parallel to stage,  « 0, < max 
 Flash Figure
Principal section parallel to stage,  = max 
Determining the Optic Sign of
Uniaxial Minerals

+
Connect the quadrants
that go down in color
(to yellow), compare
with slow direction of
gypsum plate for sign
 Next Lecture 11/20/06

Optical Properties of Biaxial Minerals

Read: Klein p. 303-309

Perkins and Henke, p. 22-27