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Amphibole

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Amphibole
Mineral structure: Chain silicate Common mineral in Granites, Diorites, Metabasics, Calc-silicates Rock-forming minerals associated with Amphibole: Plagioclase Metabasic rocks may contain large amounts of amphibole at moderate grades = Amphibolites.

Amphibole in Metabasic rock

Analyser out Analyser in

Key optical features of amphibole in thin section: Green (more rarely Brown, Colourless or Blue) Two cleavages (intersect at 120 o ) Pleochroic Moderate interference colours Inclined extinction (typically <30o ) Common minerals that might be confused with amphibole and may occur in similar rocks: Biotite (One cleavage, straight extinction), Chlorite (Green, low interference colours) Pyroxene (Two cleavages at 90 o , higher extinction angle, typically paler coloured) Common alteration product: Chlorite (pale green). Commonly replaces: Clinopyroxene Analyser out

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Amphibole

Complete or partial alteration at lower temperature associated with influx of fluids

Amphibole shape
Amphibole forms typically well-shaped crystals in rocks with abundant quartz or plagioclase. Ideal crystal forms are elongate with diamond-shaped or stretched hexagon cross section. In rocks with abundant Fe-Mg silicates amphibole typically is equant Amphibole in granite Analyer out Amphibole in Calc-silicate

Amphibole in Gneiss Analyser out

Amphibole in contact metabasic

Amphibole colours and composition (images with analyser out)

Glaucophane (blue-mauve-colurless) Actinolite (blue green green)

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Amphibole

Tremolite (colourless)

Hornblende (green brown)

Hornblende (brown)

Note: Different amphibole compositions associated with different rock types and conditions Glaucophane - Na-rich found stable at low T and high P (blueschists) Tremolite - Mg-rich found in metamorphosed carbonates and peridotites Actinolite Fe-rich stable at moderate T (moderate T metamorphic rocks) Hornblende Fe-Al-rich stable at high T (igneous rocks and high T metamorphic rocks) Typically paler amphiboles contain less Fe and more Mg

Amphibole pleochroism in amphibolite

Analyser out Stage rotated by 90 o

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Amphibole

Note: Regional metamorphism may cause elongate amphiboles to align in similar orientation. However amphibole-rich rocks rarely contain a strong cleavage in comparison to mica-rich lithologies.

Cleavage in Amphibole
Amphibole has two cleavages running parallel to the length of the crystal. Thus elongate sections through amphibole crystals show a single cleavage, cross sections show two cleavages intersecting at 120 o . Note: grains showing two well-developed cleavages may be tricky to find All images with analyser out

Inclined extinction in Amphibole

Tremolite in a calcite marble Analyser in Analyser in

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Amphibole

Actinolite in a metabasic rock Analyser out Analyser in

Note: extinction angles measured in elongate crystals typically <30o Twinned amphibole in granite Analyser in

Note: twinning in amphiboles is relatively unusual.

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