Biaxial Minerals in Thin Section volume 3a is an atlas of the optical and ancillary physical properties of biaxial minerals observable by transmitted light microscopy. The books in this series are intended as a photographic reference to accompany the more traditional theory-focused optical mineralogy textbooks normally used by students and researchers.
Data for a variety of both common and rare species are tabulated: the Nickel-Strunz classification, an end-member formula emphasizing structural units, refractive indices, color/pleochroic scheme, absorption formula, relief, optic sign and 2V°, dispersion, birefringence, cleavage, optical orientation, and the typical geologic environment and common associated species. To aid in identification, each data table concludes with a highlighted section on the most determinative characteristic properties of each featured mineral, as well as the comparative properties of optically-similar species. A chapter on strategy and techniques, with an easy-to-follow flowchart-style format, aims to help the beginning petrographer develop a good microscopy skill set. The minerals is this volume are arranged into B(+), B(+/-), and B(-) chapters, and are further organized by 2V° (increasing for B(+) minerals and decreasing for B(-) minerals); hence, minerals that are close to biaxial-indeterminate are grouped together for easy searching.
In addition to the tabulated data, each mineral is illustrated with high-resolution plane-polarized light (PPL) and crossed polars (XP) images. Minerals whose optical properties vary with stage rotation are shown in multiple PPL images. For some minerals, additional images of optic figures are also included (in particular to illustrate marked dispersion, a sometimes useful property that is often neglected in introductory optical mineralogy courses). Each photo is accompanied by descriptive text that not only identifies the featured mineral, but also fully details the associated species. The index cross-references associated species in each photo set. For twenty of the 76 species described in this volume, photographs from multiple localities are included to show diversity of occurrence, associations, or properties.
Volume 3a focuses specifically on biaxial minerals and covers 76 species, including a selection of amphiboles, pyroxenes, pyroxenoids, micas, epidote group minerals, and feldspars. The specific minerals included are:
aegirine (2 localities)
agrellite
allanite-(Ce)
anhydrite (2 localities)
astrophyllite
augite (2 localities)
barite
biotite (2 localities)
bronzite/hypersthene
charoite
chloritoid (2 localities)
chondrodite
chrysoberyl
clinozoisite
cordierite (2 localities)
diopside
dumortierite (2 localities)
eckermannite
enstatite
epidote (2 localities)
epidote-(Pb)/"hancockite"
ferriallanite-(Ce)
ferri-kaersutite
gageite
gedrite
glaucophane
hastingsite
hendricksite
hiortdahlite
inesite
kornerupine/prismatine (2 localities)
kosmochlor
kupletskite
kyanite (2 localities)
lamprophyllite
magnesio-hastingsite
melanotekite
microcline
miserite
monticellite
mosandrite
murmanite
muscovite (2 localities)
niocalite
norbergite
omphacite (2 localities)
orthoclase
paragonite
pargasite (3 localities)
pectolite
perovskite
phlogopite (2 localities)
piemontite
plagioclase
potassic-arfvedsonite
pyrophyllite
reedmergnerite
rhodonite
riebeckite
sanbornite
sanidine
sapphirine (3 localities)
sérandite (2 localities)
serpentine
sillimanite (2 localities)
staurolite (2 localities)
stilpnomelane
talc
titanite (3 localities)
titantaramellite
tremolite
tschermakite
ungarettiite
ussingite
yoderite
zoisite (3 localities)
