MIKROSKOPI BIJIH

MINERAL BIJIH
ET-3203
Nurcahyo I. Basuki

TUJUAN:

Memahami fenomena optik dari mineral bijih

dengan menggunakan mikroskop polarisasi

Mampu mengidentifikasi mineral bijih

Mampu mengidentifikasi tekstur yang

dijumpai dalam himpunan mineral bijih serta
intepretasi genesanya

SYLABUS
1. Introduction
2. Brief Theory of Light
3. Reflected Light Microscopy
4. Plane-polarized light (PPL) observation
5. Crossed-polarized light (XPL) observation
6. Ore Minerals - Definition
7. Ore Textures and Paragenesis
8. Ore Mineral Groups
9. Ore Minerals and Mineral Deposit Types

REFERENSI:
Bastin, E.S., 1960. Interpretation of ore textures. Geol. Soc. Of America, NY, pp. 101.
Craig, J.R. and Vaughan, D.J., 1981. Ore microscopy and ore petrography. John
Willey & Sons, NY, pp. 406.
Ixer, R.A., 1990. Atlas of opaque and ore minerals in their associations. Van
Nostrand Reinhold, pp. 208.
http://www.smenet.org/opaque-ore/ http://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/mineralogie/links/teach/oreteach.html

Marshall, D., Anglin, C.D., and Mumin, H., 2004. Ore Mineral Atlas. Geological
Assocaition of Canada. Mineral Deposits Division, pp. 122.
Pracejus, B., 2008. The ore minerals under the microscope: an optical guide.
Elsevier, pp. 875.
Ramdohr, P., 1980. The ore minerals and their intergrowths, 2 nd edition. Pergamon
Press.
Spry, P.G. and Gedlinski, B.L., 1987. Tables for the determination of common
opaque minerals. Economic Geology Publication, pp. 52.
Uytenbogaardt, W. and Burke, E.A.J., 1985. Tables for microscopic identification of
ore minerals. Courier Dover Publications, pp 430.

Samples

Samples from Detour Lake area, Ontario, Canada

Polished section

Thin section

Sample preparation

Polished thin section

Polished section

(LAB. PREPARASI SAYATAN BATUAN, PRODI TEKNIK GEOLOGI FITB ITB)

Rock cutting machine

Cutting and grinding machine

Mold cups for polished section

Grinding machine

Resin hardener and liquid, heat plate, etc

Grinding and polishing machine

Problems during sample preparation

Reflection of Light
When light passes from a lower density medium (e.g. air) into a higher
density non-opaque medium (e.g. water):
- part will be reflected
- part will be pass through, but be bent and slowed refracted
Angle of reflection (r) equals the incident angle ( i)

Reflectance (R%)

FLOWCHART FOR MINERAL IDENTIFICATION

Pengamatan Mikroskopis
A. Parallel Nicol (PPL)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Reflectance (R or R%) Reflectivity

Bireflectance
Color and pleochroic
Relief (polishing hardness)
Hardness
Shape and cleavage
Zoning

Analisator

B. Crossed Nicol (XPL)

1.
2.
3.
4.

Birefringence (interference color)

Anisotropism
Twinning
Internal reflection

Pengamatan Mikroskopis
A. Parallel Nicol (PPL)

1. Reflectance (R or R%) Reflectivity

percentage of light at normal angle of incidence to mineral
surface that is reflected back to observer
it depends on :

* mineral orientation in the section

* wavelength of the light being reflected
* the angle of incidence
* the difference in color of other minerals

the brightest crystal present in the field of vision determines

the impression of brightness of the others
hence, use of the incident field stop (IFS) may be of assistance
in ascertaining relative reflectivity of ore minerals,
because the field of view is essentially almost monomineralic

Pengamatan Mikroskopis
A. Parallel Nicol (PPL)

1. Reflectance (R or R%) Reflectivity

percentage of light at normal angle of incidence to mineral
surface that is reflected back to observer

Pengamatan Mikroskopis
A. Parallel Nicol (PPL)

1. Reflectance (R or R%) Reflectivity

percentage of light at normal angle of incidence to mineral
surface that is reflected back to observer

Pengamatan Mikroskopis
A. Parallel Nicol (PPL)

2. Bireflectance
variation of reflectance during rotation of the mineral on the
microscope stage
can be:
* absent to very weak
* weak
* medium to strong
usually accompanied by pleochroic

Pengamatan Mikroskopis
A. Parallel Nicol (PPL)

3. Color and pleochroic

Color can be colorless, indistinct (weak color), or strong color
The eye is poor at 'remembering' a particular color
a color cannot be distinguished by just a name, except in a
crude way
each observer must make his/her own descriptions of the
colors of minerals

Pengamatan Mikroskopis
A. Parallel Nicol (PPL)

3. Color and pleochroic

Color can be colorless, indistinct (weak color), or strong color

Pengamatan Mikroskopis
A. Parallel Nicol (PPL)

3. Color and pleochroic

Color can be colorless, indistinct (weak color), or strong color

Pengamatan Mikroskopis
A. Parallel Nicol (PPL)

3. Color and pleochroic

Color can be colorless, indistinct (weak color), or strong color

Pengamatan Mikroskopis
A. Parallel Nicol (PPL)

3. Color and pleochroic

Color can be colorless, indistinct (weak color), or strong color
depend on the color of adjacent/associated mineral
in photos, also depends on the camera and settings

Pengamatan Mikroskopis
A. Parallel Nicol (PPL)

3. Color and pleochroic

Pleochroic variation of color during rotation of the mineral
on the microscope stage

Pengamatan Mikroskopis
A. Parallel Nicol (PPL)

3. Color and pleochroic

Pleochroic variation of color during rotation of the mineral
on the microscope stage

http://www.smenet.org/opaque-ore/

Pengamatan Mikroskopis
A. Parallel Nicol (PPL)

4. Relief (polishing hardness; qualitative)

resistence of mineral to abrasion during polishing process
harder minerals are worn away more slowly than soft minerals

http://www.smenet.org/opaque-ore/

Pengamatan Mikroskopis
A. Parallel Nicol (PPL)

4. Relief (polishing hardness ; qualitative)

resistence of mineral to abrasion during polishing process
harder minerals are worn away more slowly than soft minerals
can use pseudo- Becke line technnique (Kalb hardness test)

Pengamatan Mikroskopis
A. Parallel Nicol (PPL)

5. Hardness
polishing hardness (qualitative; using relief)
scratch hardness (qualitative)
microindentation hardness (quantitative; e.g.
Vickers microhardness determination)

Pengamatan Mikroskopis
A. Parallel Nicol (PPL)

5. Hardness
scratch hardness softer minerals contain more scratches
sphalerite

sphalerite
pyrite

Pengamatan Mikroskopis
A. Parallel Nicol (PPL)

6. Shape and cleavage

Shape some other minerals may form prismatic or tabular
shape; e.g. psilomelane, pyrolusite
psilomelane

(Pracejus, B., 2008)

Pengamatan Mikroskopis
A. Parallel Nicol (PPL)

6. Shape and cleavage

Shape some other minerals may form fibrous shape; e.g.
hausmannite
psilomelane

(Pracejus, B., 2008)

Pengamatan Mikroskopis
A. Parallel Nicol (PPL)

6. Shape and cleavage

Cleavage can be characteristics for some minerals; e.g.
galena, graphite, molybdenite
galena
graphite

(Pracejus, B., 2008)

Pengamatan Mikroskopis
A. Parallel Nicol (PPL)

7. Zoning related to variation in composition; can be enhanced

by acid etching
can also be observed under cross polar (XPL)

10

Pengamatan Mikroskopis
A. Parallel Nicol (PPL)

7. Zoning related to variation in composition; can be enhanced

by acid etching
can also be observed under cross polar (XPL)
canfieldite (light grey) & argyrodite (slightly darker)

(Pracejus, B., 2008)

11

Microscopic Observation
B. Cross Nicol (XPL) both the analyzer and polarizer must be crossed
1. Interference color (polarization colors)
color observed with cross-polarized light
isometric mineral vs non-isometric mineral
isotropic minerals:
low to medium reflectivity --- show dark appearance when
the stage is rotated

Microscopic Observation
B. Cross Nicol (XPL) both the analyzer and polarizer must be crossed
1. Interference color (polarization colors)
color observed with cross-polarized light
isometric mineral vs non-isometric mineral
isotropic minerals:
high reflectivity --- show very faintly illuminated, but no change in
color or intensity of
illumination when the stage
is
rotated

Microscopic Observation
B. Cross Nicol (XPL)

2. Anisotropism (vs isotropism)

a change in color observed with cross-polarized light when
the stage is rotated
best detected using a low-power objective for large grains
(high-power for small grains), a partly closed diaphram, and
an intense light source
weak anisotropy (which is quite common) is best observed
with the polarizers almost, but not quite, crossed (i.e. almost
XPL)
not to confuse reflection from scratches or roughness of
polish for a true anisotropic

Microscopic Observation
B. Cross Nicol (XPL)

2. Anisotropism (vs isotropism)

a change in color observed with cross-polarized light when
the stage is rotated

Microscopic Observation
B. Cross Nicol (XPL)

3. Twinning

Microscopic Observation
B. Cross Nicol (XPL)

4. Internal reflection
The diffuse patches of colour, most commonly near fractures
or grain boundaries, that are produced in minerals that
are not completely opaque
Light penetrates below the surface and is reflected back to
the observer from cracks, cleavages, twin surfaces, and
other discontinuities in the mineral

Microscopic Observation
B. Cross Nicol (XPL)

4. Internal reflection
The diffuse patches of colour, most commonly near fractures
or grain boundaries, that are produced in minerals that
are not completely opaque
Light penetrates below the surface and is reflected back to
the observer from cracks, cleavages, twin surfaces, and
other discontinuities in the mineral