Tanta University

Faculty of Science
Department of Geology

Ore Microscopy
Submitted by
Mohamed Mahmoud Ahmed El-

Ore Microscopy
Physical
Properties
Crystal form
morphology
Crystal habit
Cleavage
Parting
Inclusions
Twining

Optical Properties

without Analyzer
Colour
Reflactivity
Bireflectance &
Reflection pleochriosm
with Analyzer
Isotropism &
Anisotropism
Internal Reflection

Physical Properties

Crystal form morphology

Crystal habit
Cleavage
Parting
Inclusions
Twining

Crystal form
Euhedral
Subhedra
l
Anhedral

Crystal habit
Equant
Prismatic
Fiberous (e.g)
Pyrolusite
Bladed (e.g)
Hematite
Oval
Rhombic (e.g)
Arsenopyrite
Rounded
Colloform (e.g)
Geothite
Triangular (e.g)

Cleavage

Presnt

Present
Absent
set 1
Covellite
sets 2
Chalcopyrite
sets 3
Galena

Cleavage VS Scratches
Cleavage

Scratches

Parting
Present internal Reflection
marcasite
Absent

Inclusions
Present
Absent

Twining
Lameller (e.g) molybdenite

Optical Properties

without Analyzer
Colour
Reflactivity
Bireflectance &
Reflection
pleochriosm

with Analyzer
Isotropism &
Anisotropism
Internal Reflection

Optical Properties without

Analyzer

Colour : white, red, blue, brown, yellow

Faint yellow or pale yellow
Dark or strong red
Reddish brown

Pyrite cremic
white

Chalcopyrite
brase

Covellite ink
blue

Marcas
ite
yello

Pentlandite
golden yellow

Galen
a

Optical Properties without

Analyzer

Reflactivity

R= intensity of reflected
light/intensity of incident light

Described as *low ex covellite
*medium ex
chalcopyrite
*High ex pyrite

Optical Properties without

Analyzer

Bireflectance & Reflection

pleochriosm
Bireflectance:

Ex: Chalcopyrite brase yellow to

faint yellow
Reflection pleochriosm

Optical Properties with Analyzer

Isotropism & Anisotropism

Described as: *Isotropic cubic

*Anisotropic (e.g) Marcasite, Stibnite
(Very strong Strong Moderate - Low
Very low)

Marcas
ite

Stibnit
e

Optical Properties with Analyzer

Internal Reflection

Present
Absent

Marcas
ite

Ore Microscopy

Ore
Minerals

Sulphide
Minerals
Oxides
Minerals

Arsenopyr
ite

Pyrite

Chalcopyr
ite

Tetrahed
rite

Sphalerit
e

Sulphi
de
Miner
als

Pyrrhotite

Pentlan
dite

Galena

Stibn
ite

Niccolit
e

Covellite

Bornite

Molybdenit
e

Marcasit
e

Pyrite

FeS2
Cubic
Cremic white
Reflactivity: High
Isotropic

Chalcopyrite brase yellow

yrite cremic white

Sphalerite gray

Chalcopy
rite

CuFeS2
Sphalerite gray
Brase yellow
Tertagonal
Reflacivity: Medium
Anisotropic
Chalcopyrite brase yellow
Two sets of Clevage
Bireflectance: Presnt

halcopyrite brase yellow

Pyrite cremic white
Sphalerite gray

Sphalerit
e

(Zn,Fe) S
Cubic
Grey
Reflactivity: low
Isotropic
Two sets of clevage

Galena

PbS
Cubic
White
Reflactivity: high
Isotropic
Three sets of
clevage
Habitat: Triangular
Gangepit
minera
ls

Stibnite

Sb2S3
Orthrohombic
White
Reflactivity :high
Very strong
anisotropic
Three sets of
clevage

Twining may be
presnt

Covellite

CuS
Hexagonal
Ink Blue
Reflactivity: low
Anisotropic
Bireflectance may
be present

Marcasit
e

FeS2
Orthrohombic
Yellow Pale
yellow
Reflactivity: high
Internal Reflection
Very strong
anisotropic

Molybdeni
te

MoS2
Trigonal
Grewish white
Reflactivity: high
Paleochrism
Very strong anisotropic
Lameler twining
H-shape

Bornite

Cu5FeS4
Brown-Purple-PinkViolet
Revlictivity: low
Tetragonal
Anisotropic

Niccolite

NiAs
Hexagonal
Yellowish brown
Reflactivity:
medium
Anisotropic

pink

Pentlandi
te

(Fe,Ni)S8
Cubic
Isotropic
Golden yellow
Reflactivity:
medium
Two sets of clevage

Pyrrhotite

Fe x-1S x
Hexagonal
Faint brown
Reflactivity: high
Anisotropic

Tetrahedri
te

Cu12Sb4S13
Cubic
Olive green-grey
Reflactivity: low
Isotropic

Arsenopyr
ite

FeAsS
Monoclinic
Cremic white
Reflactivity: high
Anisotropic
Rhombic shape
crystal habit

Magnet
ite

Pyrolus
ite

Hemati
te

Oxides
Miner
als
Ilmenit
e

Geothit
e

Chromi
te

Magnetite

Fe3O4
Cubic
Isotropic
Pale faint brown
Reflactivity: medium
Crystal habit: equent
Crystal form: euhedral
Two sets of clevage
BIF (Banded Iron
Formation)
Hematite
white

Magnetite

Martization

Hematite

Fe2O3
Trigonal
Anisotropic
White
Reflactivity: high
Crystal habit: Bladed
Internal Reflaction
reddish brown
BIF (Banded Iron
Formation)

Geothite

Fe2O3.H2O
Orthrohombic
Grey
Well crystalline
Poor crystalline

Crystal habit:
colloform

Chromite

FeCr2O4
Cubic
Isotropic
White with brown
tint
Reflactivity: high
Internal Reflection:
brown or reddish
brown
Deformation
texture

Chromite

Ilmenite

FeTiO3
Trigonal
Light "faint Gray
Reflactivity: high
Hematite-Ilmenite
exsolution tex
Light
gray
Ilmenit
e
White
Hematit
e

Pyrolusite

MnO2
Tetragonal
Faint Brown
Reflactivity:
medium
Crystal Habit:
Fiberous

Texture

Colloform texture
(e.g) Geothite

Deformation texture
(e.g) Chromite

Banded Iron Formation

texture
(e.g) Magnetite,
Hematite

Flame texture
(e.g) Pentlandite ,
Pyrrhotite

Oolitic Texture

Hematite-Ilmenite Exsolution
texture

Ilmenit
e

FeTiO3
Trigonal
Light "faint Gray
Reflactivity: high

HematiteIlmenite
exsolution tex
Light
gray
Ilmenit
e
White
Hematit
e

Ilmenite-magnetite
exsolution texture
Trellis texture

Chalcopyrite-Sphalerite exsolution texture

& Emulsion texture

ChalcopyriteSphalerite
exsolution
texture

Emulsion texture

Chalcopyrite-Sphalerite exsolution texture

& Emulsion texture

Best
Regards

Mohamed M Elshora
President of AAPG-TUSC
Phone (+2)01112078926
OR (+2)01280048933
Mail :
mohamed_elshora35@yahoo
.com