What is a rock thin section?
A rock thin section is created by gluing a small piece of rock onto a glass slide, then grinding it down to a thickness of 30 microns (the average human hair is about 100 microns in diameter) so that light shines through it when examined under the microscope.
What is the study of rocks called?
Petrology is the study of rocks – igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary – and the processes that form and transform them.
What is petrographic study?
Petrography is the study of rocks in thin section by means of a petrographic microscope (i.e., an instrument that employs polarized light that vibrates in a single plane). Petrography is primarily concerned with the systematic classification and precise description of rocks.
How are rock thin sections made?
A thin sliver of rock is cut from the sample with a diamond saw and ground optically flat. It is then mounted on a glass slide and then ground smooth using progressively finer abrasive grit until the sample is only 30 μm thick.
Why do geologists study a rock using a thin section as well as by looking at a hand sample?
Each mineral transmits polarized light differently and displays variations in colors. c. Looking at a thin section allows the geologist to see the atomic structure of the minerals.
What do they call a rock specialist?
A geologist is a scientist who studies the Earth’s structure and history. Much of a geologist’s work focuses on the study of rocks and minerals.
What is meant by lithological mapping?
Abstract: Lithological mapping is important parameters for interpretation, identification and mapping of minerals. Lithological mapping in the study area defines the characteristics of nature of rock types and their association and formation.
What is lithology rock?
Lithology means “the composition or type of rock such as sandstone or limestone.” These few words belie a host of details about reservoir rocks: Their depositional and diagenetic history. Pore structure. Mineralogy.
What is coal petrography?
Coal petrography is a microscopic technique used to determine a coals rank (degree of coalification) and type (amount and type of macerals) on polished specimens of minus 20 mesh prepared coal. Rank is determined by measuring the percent light reflectance of the maceral vitrinite.
What is sandstone petrography?
Petrography. The petrographic investigation of the sandstone samples obtained from Permian Vischkuil formation revealed that the sandstones are mainly characterized by medium to fine grain particles. They are mainly classified as lithic arenites comprising sub-angular to angular and sub-rounded grains (Fig. 3a).
Why is it important to study thin section of rocks?
Not until he has studied rocks in this way does the student actually apprehend the significance of such rock names as andesite, granite, etc. Thin section study thus performs a very important educational function in giving body to the terminology of rocks.
Which is the best way to study rocks?
The study of rocks in thin section is the most effective way of giving the undergraduate or graduate student a true realization of the mineralogical constitution of rocks.
What kind of microscope is used to study rock thin sections?
This PowerPoint shows the main parts of the type of microscope used to study minerals in rock thin sections. This outlines the optical properties of minerals observed using a polarising light microscope.
What kind of rocks are in thin sections?
There are video clips showing the optical properties of minerals in six rock thin sections. The thin sections, covering a range of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, were chosen to show the diagnostic properties of 10 of the main rock-forming minerals as seen under a polarising light microscope.