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gold

Reflected Light
Microscopy
Francis, 2013

gold

gold
arsenopyrite
Sulfide minerals and many oxides are gold
opaque to transmitted light and can only
be optically studied using reflected light.

In addition, grains, seams, or inclusions


whose dimensions are less than the
thickness of a standard thin section ( 30
microns) can not be well resolved in
transmitted light, but can be readily
examined in reflected light. Furthermore,
microprobe analysis requires an
examination of the material of interest
under reflected light to insure that surface
defects will not degrade the analysis.
Concrete
Because of the limitations of reflected light, reflected light microscopy is a more
qualitative art than transmitted light microscopy. The process is essentially one of
using the features of easily identifiable minerals to constrain the identity of associated
unknown minerals.
Reflectance and Colour

Reflectance is the measure of the ratio of the intensity of reflected light from a
minerals surface to the intensity of incident plane-polarized light ( = 546 nm).
Although reflectance can be quantitatively measured with suitable equipment, in
general practice one qualitatively estimates reflectance by comparing the unknown
mineral to a known mineral.

Increasing reflectivity:

sphalerite (17%) < magnetite (21%) < galena (43%) < pyrite (55%) < gold (75%)

Colour is a more subtle feature in reflected light than in transmitted light, but can be
very diagnostic. For example, Fe-oxides are commonly grey while many sulfides are
distinctly yellowish in colour. Sphalerite and galena are exceptions, however, being
grey and greyish-white respectively.

Note: Sulfide minerals tarnish easily, so it is best to buff them gently on a cloth with
0.3 micron abrasive powder when first examining them.
Reflectence / Colour

pyrite > chalcopyrite


chalcopyrite > pyrrhotite
pyrrhotite > sphalerite
Some Common Opaque Minerals: listed in order of decreasing reflectance

Mineral Formula Reflect. Colour Anisotropy Hardness

gold Gold Au 74 bright yellow isotropic 2.5-3.0

Pyrite FeS2 54 pale yellow isotropic 6.0-6.5

arsenopyrite Arsenopyrite FeAsS 52 white strong 5.5-6.0

Pentlandite (Fe,Ni)9S8 l Light yellow isotropic 3.5-4.0

pyrite Chalcopyrite CuFeS2 44 yellow weak 3.5-4.0

Galena PbS 43 grey-white isotropic 2.5


chalco
tetra pyrite Pyrrhotite Fe1-x S 34-40 pinkish brown strong 4.0
hedrite
to yellow

Chalcocite Cu2S 32 light grey weak 2.5-3.0


dolomite
Hematite Fe2O3 28 bluish grey strong 5.0-6.0

Bornite Cu5FeS4 22 purplish isotropic 3.0


chalcopyrite brown
pyrite Fe3O4 21 brownish grey isotropic 5.5
Magnetite
Ilmenite FeTiO3 17-20 pinkish grey strong 5.0-6.0

Sphalerite ZnS 17 grey isotropic 3.5-4.0


sphalerite FeCr2O4 14 dark grey isotropic 5.5
Chromite
gold

galena pyrite arsenopyrite


pyrite
gold

galena
gold

pyrite
galena

gold

bornite
chalcocite arsenopyrite
Bireflectance and Reflection Pleochroism
As in transmitted light, isometric opaque minerals remain unchanged upon rotation of the
microscope stage. Strongly anisotropic opaque minerals, however, may exhibit noticeable changes
in reflectivity (bireflectance) or colour (pleochroism) upon rotation of the microscopes stage.

Anisotropy
Isometric minerals appear either black under crossed polars, or remain dark grey upon rotation of
the stage. Anisotropic minerals may exhibit a noticeable variation colour or brightness upon
rotation of the stage, exhibiting 4 positions of extinction and 4 positions of maximum intensity or
colour. These effects are often quite subtle and require careful observation. It sometimes helps to
rotate the analyzer of the microscope slightly from the 90 o crossed polar position to observe these
features.

Internal Reflections
Minerals that are not totally opaque sometimes display coloured internal reflections under crossed
polars when using bright illumination. Such internal reflections are characteristic of minerals such
as sphalerite and the ruby-silver sulfosalts (eg. proustite pyrargyrite Ag 3AsS3 - Ag3SbS2).
Internal reflections are also a good way of distinguishing silicate minerals in reflected light.
Cleavage
Cleavage is often easily seen in polished surfaces in
reflected light as dark lines and straight sided pits, and can
be characteristic of some minerals. For example, the
polished surface of galena characteristically displays galena
Gold
distinctive triangular pits because of its three directions of
90o cleavage.

Hardness
The opaque minerals vary greatly in polishing hardness.
Polishing hardness can be judged by the quality of the
polished surface (the hardest surfaces have the most
Gold
mirror-like finishes) and can be tested with a needle or by
measuring relative polishing reliefs of adjacent grains
using the Kalb line test. The Kalb line is somewhat soft
analogous to the Becke line in transmitted light. When
using the high power objective, and a partly closed hard
diaphragm, lowering the stage will cause the Kalb line
to move from the grain boundary towards the softer of two arsenopyrite
adjacent mineral grains.
hematite

chalcopyrite

bornite
galena

sphalerite
Feo

chromite
magnetite

Lunar High-Ti
Mare Basalts

magnetite
magnetite

ilmenite
ilmenite
troilite
Meteorites

troilite

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