Introduction to Optical Mineralogy

The third edition of Introduction to Optical Mineralogy provides comprehensive coverage of the optical properties of minerals. It describes in detail more than 125 common rock-forming minerals and a selection of common ore minerals. Revised chapters on optical theory discuss the petrographic microscope, the nature and properties of light, the behavior of light in isotropic and anisotropic materials, and uniaxial and biaxial anisotropic optics. Ideal for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in optical mineralogy, this accessible text is also an essential resource for petrology/petrography courses.
Features of the Third Edition:
Includes a new section on reflected light optics
Reorganizes material so that silicates-which comprise over 95% of the earth's crust-are discussed first in order to reflect their abundance and petrologic significance
Contains numerous photomicrographs and revised illustrations throughout
Provides step-by-step procedures for using the petrographic microscope and a flow chart detailing the process of identifying unknown minerals