ATLAS OF METAMORPHIC MINERALS

1 mm

Deformed kyanite in quartzite from the Raft River complex, Utah (crossed polars)

Donna L. Whitney
Department of Geology & Geophysics
University of Minnesota
 ABOUT THIS ATLAS
These photographs are intended to give you a general introduction to what some important meta-
morphic minerals look like in thin section. I use the word “important” to mean (1) minerals that are
abundant in common metamorphic rocks, and (2) minerals that may occur in low abundance but
that are nevertheless significant for determining or interpreting metamorphic processes.

Each photograph has a caption that tells you some information about the mineral of interest and, in
some cases, the host rock, but not every mineral in every photograph is labeled.

The photographs in this atlas are intended to represent some of the most typical features of some
metamorphic minerals, but it is important to keep in mind that a particular mineral may vary from
sample to sample in size, shape, color, and other characteristics.

KEY TO MINERAL ABBREVIATIONS

Sy m bo l M ine ral Na m e
A ct ac tinolite Lws lawsonite
An d anda lus ite Mag magnetite
A th anthophylli te Ms muscovite
A tg antigorite Ol olivine
Ap apa tite Omp omphacite
Bt biot ite Opq opaque mineral
Ca l ca lcite Opx orthopyroxene
C hl chlorite Pie piemontite
C ld chlorito id Pl plagioclase
C hr chromi te Py pyrite
Cp x clinopyroxene Qtz quartz
Cz o clinozoisite Rt rutile
C oe coes ite Spr sapphirine
Crd cord ier ite Scp scapolite
Cr n coru ndu m Ser sericite
Cu m cu mmi ngto nite Srp serpentine
Dsp diasp ore Sil sillimanite
Di diops ide Spn sphene
D ol dolomi te Spl spinel
Ep ep idot e St staurolite
Fi fibrolite ( fibr ous sillim anite) Tlc talc
Gr t gar net Ttn titanite (sphene)
Ged gedr ite Tur tourmaline
G ln glauc ophane Tr tremolite
Gr grap hite Ves vesuvianite
Hd hede nb erg ite Wo wollastonite
He m hem atite Zeo zeolite
H bl hornb lende Zrn zircon
Ilm ilm enite Zo zoisite
Jd jade ite
K fs K -feldspar
Ky kyanite
 QUARTZ
SiO2

1 mm 1 mm

1 mm 1 mm

1 mm 1 mm

Qz

Ms

Bt

Quartz has low relief relative to most other common minerals; first order interference colors under
crossed polars; is uniaxial positive; and varies greatly in size and shape depending on the thermal and
deformation history of the rock and the types and habits of other minerals in the rock.
 PLAGIOCLASE
albite: NaAlSi3O8 anorthite: CaAl2Si2O8

Pl Hbl

Pl

1 mm 1 mm

Ms
Ky
Pl

Bt
Pl

1 mm 1 mm

Qz

Pl

Bt

Ep

Pl

1 mm 1 mm
Relict igneous zoning in plagioclase in metamorphosed granite

Plagioclase has similar relief and interference colors as quartz, but has several distinguishing features:
plagioclase is biaxial (quartz is uniaxial); plagioclase may exhibit twinning (multiple parallel ‘stripes’
that vary in interference color/extinction); plagioclase may be chemically zoned (unlike quartz, plagio-
clase is a solid solution and can vary in composition within a single grain); and plagioclase may be
slightly altered to fine-grained muscovite (sericite), whereas quartz is typically unaltered.
 PLAGIOCLASE
1 mm 1 mm

Qz
Qz
Pl Bt

Qz
Qz
Qz Pl
Quartz and plagioclase in metagranitic rock

1 mm 1 mm

Polygonal (mosaic) texture of anorthite in granulite facies gneiss

Pl

Qz
Pl
Pl
Pl

Pl 1 mm 1 mm
Plagioclase in quartzofeldspathic gneiss
 K-FELDSPAR
KAlSi3O8

1 mm
Plane light view of area in the red box
K-feldspar in a meta-granite (crossed polars)

1 mm 1 mm

K-feldspar is recognized by its distinctive ‘tartan’ twinning. K-feldspar may occur in a metamorphic
rock because (1) the protolith -- e.g., a granite -- had K-feldspar that persisted during metamorphism;
(2) the rock experienced high-temperature metamorphism and K-feldspar formed by breakdown of
muscovite + quartz to produce silimanite + K-feldspar + water, such as may occur in metamorphosed
shales (metapelites) at T > 650 C; or (3) K-feldspar may form by partial melting of a metamorphic rock
to produce a granitic melt; in this case, the K-feldspar typically occurs with plagioclase + quartz in a
layer or pod (leucosome).
 MUSCOVITE
white mica
1 mm 1 mm

Ms

1 mm 1 mm
Ms

Bt
Ms Bt

1 mm 1 mm

Bt

Ms Ms

Muscovite is colorless to very pale green or brown in plane light and has second order interference
colors.
 MUSCOVITE
1 mm 1 mm

Ph

Ph
Qz
Gln

The ‘muscovite’ (phengite) in this blueschist facies quartz-mica schist is pale green in plane light
owing to the presence of some Fe in the mica (Sivrihisar, Turkey).

1 mm 1 mm

Fold in muscovite schist (Switzerland)

1 mm 1 mm

Fold in muscovite schist (Santander Massif, Colombia)

 BIOTITE
Fe-Mg mica

1 mm 1 mm

1 mm 1 mm

1 mm 1 mm

Biotite is typically pleochroic brown, orange-brown, red-orange, or green in plane light, and has
mottled second order interference colors.
 BIOTITE

1 mm 1 mm

zircon inclusions in biotite

1 mm 1 mm

1 mm 1 mm

1 mm 1 mm
 CHLORITE
Mg-Fe phyllosilicate

1 mm 1 mm
Chlorite (North Carolina): green in plane light; anomalous interference colors under crossed polars

1 mm 1 mm
Chlorite in schist (Ontario, Canada)

Chl

Bt

Bt
1 mm 1 mm
Biotite partially altered to chlorite (British Columbia, Canada)
 CHLORITE
Chlorite in schist (Vermont)

Ms

Chl

Chl
1 mm Bt 1 mm

1 mm 1 mm

Chl

Chlorite in schist (Vermont)

Chlorite rimming garnet (Turkey)

Grt

Chl

1 mm 1 mm

Chl
1 mm 1 mm

Chl

Chlorite replacing garnet along fractures and rimming garnet

 GARNET
(Fe, Mn, Mg, Ca)3Al2Si3O12
1 mm

1 mm 1 mm

1 mm 1 mm

Although garnet may display one (or more) of a wide variety of colors in hand sample, in thin section
crystals are typically colorless or a very pale color (e.g. pink, tan). Garnet is isometric, so is isotropic
under crossed polars, although note that garnet commonly contains inclusions of non-isometric
phases. Shapes and sizes of garnet can vary, but garnet is commonly a porphyroblast (i.e., larger than
the surrounding minerals in the rock) and may have well developed crystal faces (euhedral crystals), a
rounded shape (subhedral), or an irregular shape (e.g. embayed by other minerals; anhedral).
 GARNET
1 mm 1 mm

Qz

Extremely fine-grained garnets in a matrix of quartz (+ stilpnomelane, the elongate brown

mineral seen in the lowest magnification view, top)

Grt Gln

Grt

Grt
Ms
1 mm Grt 1 mm
A range of garnet sizes in one thin section (blueschist, Turkey)
 GARNET
Euhedral garnet in schist (Iran)

1 mm 1 mm

1 mm 1 mm

Hbl
Grt

Grt
Grt Grt

Garnet in eclogite (North Carolina)

Garnet with spiral inclusion trail of quartz (Turkey)

1 mm 1 mm

Garnet in schist (North Cascades WA)

1 mm 1 mm
 GARNET
Garnet inclusion in staurolite (New Mexico)

St St
Grt Grt

1 mm 1 mm

Garnet in biotite schist (New York)

1 mm 1 mm

Garnet in blueschist (Turkey)

1 mm 1 mm

Garnet in eclogite (Turkey)

1 mm 1 mm
 GARNET
1 mm 1 mm

Grt

Cpx
Pl

Calcium-rich (grossular) garnet in calc-silicate schist (Nigde Massif, Turkey)

1 mm 1 mm

Garnet schist (North Cascades, WA)

1 mm 1 mm
Garnet containing aligned trail of hornblende inclusions that is continuous with the matrix fabric
 STAUROLITE (Fe,Mg) Al (Si,Al) O 2 9 4 20(OH)4
1 mm 1 mm

1 mm 1 mm
Staurolite in mica schist, Solitude Range, British Columbia. In the lower panel of images, you can see
characteristic staurolite twinning.
1 mm 1 mm

Grt

Staurolite adjacent to garnet in mica schist, Raleigh, North Carolina

Staurolite is the only common metamorphic mineral that is yellow in plane light. Staurolite is pleo-
chroic, and changes from darker to lighter yellow on rotation of the microscope stage. It is a high relief
mineral with characteristic twinning and high first to second order interference colors.
 STAUROLITE

1 mm 1 mm
Staurolite in mica schist (North Carolina)

1 mm

1 mm
Staurolite inclusions in garnet (N Cascades, WA) Texturally zoned staurolite (North Cascades, WA)

1 mm 1 mm

Twinned staurolite (Iran)

 CHLORITOID
(Fe, Mg, Mn)2Al4Si2O10(OH)4
1 mm 1 mm

Chloritoid in graphite schist (Greece)

1 mm 1 mm

Chloritoid in schist (Greece)

1 mm 1 mm

Chloritoid includions in garnet. The garnet is very large and extends beyond the field of view.

Chloritoid is typically tabular and pleochroic pale blue-green. It does not have the same pleochroism
as glaucophane (another blue mineral), and has different crystal habit and cleavage.
 CORDIERITE (Fe, Mg)2Al4Si5O18

Crd

Qz
Ms
1 mm Ms 1 mm

Bt
Crd
Pl
Qz

Crd

Crd

1 mm 1 mm

Crd
Bt

Pl

Crd
1 mm 1 mm

Cordierite, which has low relief and low birefringence, can be difficult to distinguish from
untwinned plagioclase or even quartz, but there are typically some clues you can look for, such as
(1) zircon inclusions in cordierite will have a yellow pleochroic halo around them in cordierite, but
not in quartz or plagioclase; (2) cordierite may form large rounded porphyroblasts (typically filled
with inclusions of quartz and other minerals); plagioclase may in rare cases take this form as well,
but quartz does not. In hand sample, cordierite will be black, gray, or blue, whereas plagioclase
porphyroblasts will typically be chalky white; and (3) cordierite may have a characteristic yellow to
greenish/brown alteration known as pinite.
 CORDIERITE
Grt

Grt Crd
Crd
Grt

1 mm 1 mm Crd
Cordierite may be altered to a fine-grained brown, yellow, or greenish aggregate of hydrous minerals,
called pinite (pronounced “pinnite”). In these plane light images, cordierite has replaced garnet and
has itself been replaced by pinite (Hirkadag Massif, Turkey). Pinite may appear isotropic under
crossed polars.

1 mm 1 mm

Cordierite ‘spot’ from a spotted slate. The cordierite has been mostly replaced by fine-grained
white mica (pinite), particularly near the rim of the former cordierite.

Bt 1 mm 1 mm
Crd

Ky
Spl

Spr + Crd
Crd

Cordierite ‘moat’ around reaction rim on kyanite (Thor-Odin dome, British Columbia)
 KYANITE Al2SiO5

1 mm 1 mm
Kyanite in schist, Solitude Range, British Columbia.

St
Ky

St

Ms
Ky
Rt
Ky
1 mm 1 mm
Kyanite with staurolite in schist, Solitude Range, British Columbia.

Ky

Bt
Ky
Ky

Qz
1 mm 1 mm
Kyanite in schist, Raleigh, North Carolina

The three Al2SiO5 polymorphs can typically be easily distinguished from each other in thin section.
Kyanite has high relief relative to most other common minerals, has characteristic cleavage and
twinning, and has first order interference colors. Kyanite is triclinic, so unlike the orthorhombic andal-
usite and sillimanite, it does not have straight extinction.
 KYANITE
Pl

Ky Bt

Qz
Ky

1 mm 1 mm
Kyanite in schist, Raleigh, North Carolina
1 mm 1 mm

Kyanite in quartz vein, Iran

1 mm 1 mm
Kyanite in quartz vein, Iran
 ANDALUSITE Al2SiO5
1 mm
1 mm

And

Side view of a tabular andalusite crystal (North Cascades WA). The matrix consists of biotite (brown), tourmaline
(green), plagioclase, and quartz.

1 mm 1 mm

End view of an andalusite crystal (Iran) with fine-grained graphite inclusions in the center and along bands
extending to the corners of the crystal (chiastolite cross). There is also abundant graphite in the matrix around
the andalusite (Iran).
1 mm 1 mm

And St

And
Ky

Kyanite and staurolite (with sillimanite inclusions) in andalusite (Iran)

Andalusite is typically colorless in plane light, but may be pink if some Fe3+ is present. Relief is moderate, and
extinction is parallel because andalusite is orthorhombic.
 SILLIMANITE Al2SiO5
1 mm 1 mm

Prismatic (coarse-grained) sillimanite

Demonstration of straight extinction in sillimanite: the crystal in the center of the field of view in the left
image is extinct when oriented E-W relative to the microscope stage; it is at maximum birefringence at 45°;
and is extinct again in the N-S position.

0.5 mm 1 mm

Fibrous sillimanite (fibrolite). Mats of very fine-grained fibrous sillimanite can appear light
brown or gray. Left: fibrolite schist from Chebeague Island, Maine; Right: Fibrolite schist from
Vermont.

Sillimanite occurs in two varieties: prismatic (coarse-grained) and fibrous (fibrolite). Sillimanite has fairly
high relief, is typically colorless, has straight extinction (unless crystals are deformed), and has high
order interference colors.
 SILLIMANITE
Sil

Sil
Fi

Sil
Fi

1 mm 1 mm
Prismatic and fibrous sillimanite (Maine)
1 mm

c-axis vertical c-axis ~ horizontal

Sil
Sil
And

0.5 mm
Sillimanite in andalusite (Iran) Fibrolite in biotite (North Cascades, WA)

1 mm 1 mm

And

Sil

And
Sil

Andalusite and sillimanite (Iran) (note: the slide is slightly thick, giving higher interference colors)
 HORNBLENDE
calcic amphibole (clinoamphibole)
Pl

Hbl

Hbl

1 mm Pl 1 mm

1 mm 1 mm

1 mm 1 mm

Hornblende is typically green, but may be brown or bluish green. It is pleochroic and commonly
exhibits amphibole cleavage and tabular crystals (rectangular in thin section).
 HORNBLENDE
1 mm 1 mm

Green hornblende (North Carolina) Green hornblende in schist (Mexico)

1 mm 1 mm

Brown hornblende in amphibolite (Turkey) Green hornblende (+ brown biotite) (Mexico)

1 mm 1 mm

Blue-green hornblende (Turkey) Green hornblende (Turkey)

 HORNBLENDE

Hbl

Cum

1 mm 1 mm
Hornblende + cummingtonite (North Cascades, WA)

1 mm 1 mm
Hornblende pleochroism

1 mm 1 mm
Hornblende pleochroism
 ACTINOLITE
Fe-Ca clinoamphibole
1 mm 1 mm

Actinolite from a greenschist (Massachusetts)

Actinolite may be green in hand sample and pale green to colorless in thin section, distinguishing it
from hornblende. It may be easily identified as an amphibole, however, by its cleavage and crystal
form (if euhedral).

TREMOLITE
Mg-Ca clinoamphibole
Cal

Tr

Tr

Tr Cal

Cal

1 mm Tr 1 mm
Tremolite + calcite + quartz in a calc-silicate schist (California)

Tremolite may be colorless in hand sample and in thin sections, distinguishing it from hornblende. It
may be easily identified as an amphibole, however, by its cleavage and crystal form (if euhedral).
 GEDRITE Mg-Fe-Al orthoamphibole

Ged

Crd

1 mm 1 mm

ANTHOPHYLLITE Mg-Fe orthoamphibole

1 mm 1 mm

Ath
Ath

Anthophyllite and gedrite are typically colorless to light brown in plane light, and may show well-developed
amphibole cleavage and crystal faces. Under crossed polars, tabular sections will have straight extinction (that
is, will go extinct when the long direction of the crystal is aligned with the microscope crosshairs).

CUMMINGTONITE Fe-Mg clinoamphibole

1 mm 1 mm

Cum

Bt

Cummingtonite is pale brown in plane light and may show twinning under crossed polars (N Cascades, WA).
 GLAUCOPHANE
Na amphibole
Fine-grained glaucophane in blueschist (California) Zoned glaucophane in quartz-mica schist (Turkey)

1 mm 1 mm

Coarse-grained glaucophane in blueschist (Oregon)

1 mm 1 mm

1 mm 1 mm

Glaucophane in quartzite (Turkey)

Glaucophane is pleochroic and changes from blue to violet to a pale color in plane light. Glaucophane may
show characteristic amphibole cleavage and tabular crystal shape, or may be very elongate. Glaucophane may
be zoned: for example, the rim may be a darker blue than the core (or vice versa), indicating a change in the
amount of Fe3+ in the crystal. Pure Mg-glaucophane is colorless (next page).
 GLAUCOPHANE
1 mm 1 mm

Euhedral coarse-grained glaucophane (Alps)

0.5 mm Hornblende partially rimmed by glaucophane (Turkey)

Gln

Hbl
Gln
Hbl
Gln Hbl
Hbl
Radiating fibers of glaucophane (Turkey) 1 mm

Mg-glaucophane in quartzite (Turkey)

1 mm 1 mm
 DIOPSIDE Mg-Ca clinopyroxene

Hbl Cpx
Cpx
Hbl Cpx

Hbl Cpx
Cpx
Hbl
Cpx
1 mm 1 mm
Diopside in hornblende granulite (Hudson Highlands, NY) Diopside in calc-silicate (Aksaray Massif, Turkey)

1 mm Cal 1 mm

Cpx
Cpx

Cc
Diopside in calc-silicate

Cpx
Hbl

Hbl
Hbl

1 mm 1 mm
Diopside + plagioclase in granulite (NY)

Diopside is common in amphibolites, granulites, and calc-silicate rocks. It is typically pale green
to colorless and displays pyroxene cleavage. Twinning is also common.
 OMPHACITE
Na-Ca clinopyroxene
1 mm 1 mm

Omphacite in eclogite (Turkey)

1 mm 1 mm

Ph
Omp

Ep

Omphacite, epidote, and phengite in eclogite (Switzerland)

1 mm 1 mm

Grt
Grt

Cpx Hbl

Qz

Omphacitic clinopyroxene (Cpx) partially replaced by amphibole (Hbl) in a retrograded eclogite (North Carolina)

Omphacitic clinopyroxene is typically green, blocky, and occurs in high pressure rocks.
 OMPHACITE

1 mm 1 mm
Omphacite in eclogite (Switzerland)

JADEITE
Na clinopyroxene

Jd

1 mm 1 mm
Jadeite in high-pressure metagranite (Switzerland)

Jd

Jd
1 mm 1 mm
Jadeite in blueschist facies metasedimentary rock (California)
 ORTHOPYROXENE

1 mm 1 mm

1 mm 1 mm

Orthopyroxene forms in high-temperature metamorphic rocks. Although some opx is colorless,

a commony type in high-T rocks is pleochroic pink/green. All the crystals in the field of view in the
photographs above are hypersthene; the lower panel shows the same crystals as those in the upper
panel, with the stage rotated. (Norway)

two pyroxene gneiss (Queens Tunnel, NY): cpx + opx

from Merguerian & Özdemir (2003)
2 mm field of view
 EPIDOTE hydrous Ca-Al silicates
epidote: Ca2(Fe3+,Al)Al2(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)
clinozoisite: Ca2Al3(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH) -- monoclinic
zoisite: Ca2Al3(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH) -- orthorhombic

Ep Ep

Gln
Ep
Ep

1 mm 1 mm
Epidote in a blueschist from Oregon. Epidote is typically greenish yellow, and has high relief.
Note the distinctive ‘stained glass’ interference colors under crossed polars (right).
1 mm 1 mm

Ep

Ep
Ep

Epidote in a greenschist facies metagranite (Turkey).

1 mm 1 mm
Zoisite in a high-pressure metasedimentary rock. Note the anomalous interference colors.
 EPIDOTE GROUP

1 mm
Piemontite: Mn-epidote

1 mm 1 mm

Epidote + chlorite in altered metabasalt (Turkey)

Zo

Zo

1 mm 1 mm
Zoisite in amphibolite (North Cascades, WA)
 LAWSONITE
hydrous Ca-Al silicate: CaAl2Si2O7(OH2).H2O

Grt

Gln
Lws

Lws

1 mm 1 mm
Lawsonite blueschist (Turkey)

Lws

Ms

Lws Lws Gln

1 mm 1 mm
Lawsonite blueschist (Turkey)

1 mm 1 mm

Lawsonite blueschist (Turkey)

Lawsonite is colorless, has second order interference colors, atypically occurs in rectangular (side
view) to diamond shaped (end view) crystals, and may be twinned.
 LAWSONITE
Grt
Omp

Omp
Lws
Lws
Gln
Omp
1 mm 1 mm
Lawsonite in eclogite (Sivrihisar, Turkey)

SCAPOLITE
(Na,Ca)4(Al,Si)12O24(Cl, SO4, CO3)
1 mm 1 mm
Bt

Scp Scp

Hbl

Scp

1 mm 1 mm
Scp

Pl
Pl

Scp
Scp
Hbl

Scapolite in hornblende granulite (Hudson Highlands, NY)

Scapolite has low relief and is colorless and may be confused with plagioclase in plane light, but
under crossed polars it is observed to have much higher order interference colors than plagioclase.
It occurs in high-grade gneiss (felsic, mafic, carbonate).
 ZEOLITE GROUP

1 mm 1 mm

1 mm 1 mm

Cal

Zeo Zeo

1 mm 1 mm
Radiating sprays of zeolite (+ calcite) in a metamorphosed vesicular basalt. The zeolite minerals
nucleated on the walls of the vesicle and grew into the (former) cavity (Turkey).
 CALCITE CaCO3
Calcite + quartz in a calc-silicate (California)

Cal
Cal

Qz

Cal Qz
Cal

1 mm 1 mm

1 mm 1 mm

Calcite (Turkey)

Calcite in calc-silicate, with clinopyroxene (diospide)

Cal

Cpx
1 mm 1 mm

Calcite is uniaxial negative and is distinguished by its high (third) order interference colors that give it a washed
out, sparkly appearance under crossed polars. Because of calcite’s high birefringence, relief may appear to
change as the microscope stage is rotated. Calcite commonly displays twinning. Some calcite-rich metamorphic
rocks (e.g., marble) contain abundant calcite in a mosaic texture (120° angles at triple junctions among grains).

Note: Distinguishing calcite from dolomite (Ca-Mg carbonate) may be difficult, but is possible in twinned crystals: calcite has
twin planes (lamellae) that are parallel to the long direction of the rhombohedral cleavage that is typically visible in thin
section and parallel to the long direction of the cleavage rhombs; dolomite has twin planes that are parallel to both the long
and short directions of the cleavage rhomb.
 SAPPHIRINE
(Mg,Al)8(Al,Si)6O20
Ged

Spl

Spl
Spr

Spr
Spr Pl

1 mm 1 mm
Sapphirine + spinel (Okanogan dome, WA) Fine-grained intergrowth (symplectite) of
sapphirine + spinel (Okanogan WA)

Spr

Ky

Spl

St

1 mm 1 mm
Sapphirine + spinel replacing kyanite Sapphirine

Sapphirine occurs in Al-rich high-temperature metamorphic rocks. It has high relief and is
typically bright to pale blue. It occurs with other Al-rich minerals such as spinel, kyanite/sillimanite,
corundum, and cordierite. Sapphirine should not be confused with sapphire, which is a variety
of corundum.
 CORUNDUM Al2O3

1 mm 1 mm
Corundum with Fe-oxide in emery (metabauxite) (Turkey); the green inclusions in the corundum
are spinel (hercynite)

Spr

Pl Crn Spl
1 mm 1 mm
Corundum + plagioclase (Okanogan WA) Corundum + sapphirine + spinel + plagioclase

Zrn

Crn Spl

Crn
Spr Crn
Crd Crn

1 mm Crd Zrn
Corundum + cordierite (Thor-Odin dome, BC) Corundum + sapphirine + spinel + cordierite

Corundum is typically colorless in plane light, but may show color (e.g. blue). Euhedral crystals
are hexagonal in end section and either blocky or barrel-shaped in tabular sections. Corundum
has high relief and is uniaxial negative.
 SPINEL
Fe-Mg aluminous spinel: hercynite
Spinel in the Okanogan dome, WA

Spl

Spl

1 mm 1 mm

1 mm Ged
1 mm

Ged
Spl

Spl
Spr
Pl

1 mm 0.5 mm

Crd
Crd Spl
Spl

Spinel + corundum in the Thor-Odin dome, British Columbia

Hercynite, a common variety of aluminous spinel in metamorphic rocks, is typically dark green and
has high relief. Spinel is isometric, and occurs with other Al-rich minerals, such as garnet, cordierite,
sillimanite, sapphirine, and corundum.
 SERPENTINE MINERALS
lizardite, chrysotile, antigorite
hydrous Mg-rich phyllosilicates

Ol

Ol
Ol

1 mm 1 mm
Serpentine minerals (primarily chrysotile) replacing olivine in serpentinite (Vermont). The serpentine minerals
have replaced the olivine along fractures. In the crossed polars image, the veins cut through a large olivine crystal.

Atg

Ol

Ol
Ol

1 mm 1 mm
Antigorite extensively replacing oliving in serpentinite (Switzerland). All of the first order gray minerals in the
crossed polars view (right) are antigorite, and the grains with the higher order interference colors are remnants
of the olivine. This is a higher grade serpentinite than the one from Vermont in the top panel.

1 mm 1 mm
Serpentinite (chrysotile/lizardite) (Washington)
 Accessory Mineral

RUTILE TiO2
1 mm Rutile (dark golden brown) in eclogite (Turkey)

Ms

Rt
Ky

Ky
Rutile in a mica schist. In some cases, elongate 1 mm
rutile indicates a pseudomorph after ilmenite.

Blocky rutile, dark reddish brown in plane light Rutile needles & blocky rutile in garnet (N Cascades WA)

Rt
Rt

Rt St
Rt
Grt

1 mm 1 mm

Rutile (dark golden brown) in eclogite (North Carolina) Rutile (Thor-Odin dome, BC)

Rt
Rt
Grt

1 mm 1 mm

Rutile has high relief and is typically dark in plane light, but the color varies from reddish brown to
golden brown. The crystal shape is typically blocky, unless rutile has pseudomorphed ilmenite
(top, left photo) or unless rutile has exsolved as oriented needles from garnet (middle, right photo).
 Accessory Mineral

SPHENE (TITANITE) CaTiSiO5

Ttn

Pl

1 mm 1 mm

Ttn

Bt

1 mm 1 mm

Gln

Ttn

Rt Omp
Ttn

Grt

1 mm 1 mm
 Accessory Mineral

TOURMALINE hydrous borosilicate

1 mm 1 mm

Tur

Ms

Tur Ms
Tourmaline in mica schist. Note that the euhedral crystal (upper crystal that is labeled) appears extinct
under crossed polars because the crystal is oriented with its c-axis vertical. Variation in color among the
grains in plane light is due to pleochroism. Variation within a grain is due to compositional zoning.

Green tourmaline (Turkey) 1 mm Tur

Bt
Qz

Grt
Ms

Ms
Tur Bt
1 mm Green-brown tourmaline (British Columbia)

1 mm 1 mm

Tur

Blue-green tourmaline (Baja, Mexico) Golden brown-yellow tourmaline (Turkey)

Common colors for tourmaline (in plane light) are green, olive-green, green-blue, blue, and
golden brown/yellow/orange. Tourmaline is a common accessory phase in metasedimentary
and meta-igneous rocks.
 OPAQUE MINERALS Accessory Minerals

magnetite, ilmenite, sulfides

ILMENITE FeTiO3

Grt

1 mm 1 mm

MAGNETITE Fe3O4

1 mm 1 mm

1 mm
PYRITE FeS
Pl

Py
Py
Grt
Chl

1 mm Pyrite in metaconglomerate (Turkey)

Under transmitted light, opaque minerals can be tentatively identified based on their crystal shape.
For example, ilmenite is typically elongate; magnetite forms octahedra; and pyrite may form cubes.
These opaque minerals are common in metasedimentary and meta-igneous rocks (felsic and mafic),
and magnetite is also abundant in metamorphosed ultramafic rocks.
 Accessory Mineral

ZIRCON
ZrSiO4

1 mm 1 mm
Zircon inclusions in green biotite (note pleochroic halo) Zircon inclusions in brown biotite (with pleochroic
(Thor-Odin dome, British Columbia) haloes) (Minnesota)

1 mm 1 mm

Zrn
Bt

Grt
Zircon in garnet-sillimanite-biotite gneiss (N Cascades, WA)

1 mm

Crd

Zrn

Crd
1 mm
Pleochroic halo around zircon in cordierite (Thor-Odin Zircon in plagioclase (N Cascades, WA)
dome, British Columbia)
 APATITE Accessory Mineral

Ca-phosphate
Apatite in metagranite Apatite in gneiss

Ap Ap
Qz
Bt
Ap
Qz
Ap

1 mm 1 mm

Qz

Ap Ap

Ap
Ap

1 mm 1 mm
Apatite in quartzite (Turkey); the grains that appear extinct in the crossed polars view have
their c-axis vertical with respect to the thin section

1 mm 1 mm
Ms
Bt
Ap

Ap
Ap Qz + Pl

Qz
Chl

Apatite is uniaxial negative, has first order interference colors, and has slightly higher relief than quartz or
plagioclase. It is a common accessory phase in metasedimentary and meta-igneous rocks. Crystals cut
perpendicular to the c-axis may have a hexagonal shape and will appear extinct under crossed polars.
 GRAPHITE C

1 mm 1 mm
Fine-grained graphite (black) in phyllite (Washington) Graphitic schist (Turkey)

1 mm 1 mm
Fine-grained graphite in biotite schist (Turkey)
1 mm 1 mm
graphite
inclusions
in garnet

Grt

Grt

Fine-grained graphite in garnet-biotite schist (Maine) Fine-grained garnet in garnet-biotite schist (New York)

Fine-grained graphite is common in metamorphic rocks, particularly metasedimentary rocks such as

metashale that had organic material in the parent rock (protolith). Owing to the fine grain size,
graphite typically appears as a ‘dusty’ looking material in a rock or mineral.
 Accessory Minerals

HEMATITE and Fe-hydroxides

Fe2O3

Hem
Hem
Grt
Hem

1 mm 1 mm
Fe-oxide alteration of garnet rim (Menderes Massif, Turkey) Hematite replacing garnet (Hirkadag Massif, Turkey)

1 mm 1 mm

Ttn
Hem
Ms Ttn

Hematite rimming sphene (titanite) (Morocco) Altered cpx in calc-silicate -- brown color is Fe-oxide/hydroxide

DIASPORE Al-hydroxide
1 mm

Dsp
And

And

Diaspore replacing andalusite (Iran)

Other minerals (not shown in this version of the atlas)

aragonite
carpholite
coesite
diamond Ky
dolomite
forsterite
humite/clinohumite
margarite
monazite
paragonite
prehnite
pumpellyite
pyrophyllite
talc
vesuvianite
wollastonite