Minerals Under the Microscope
The images below show a variety of minerals photographed under a low-power MBC-10
microscope using a Vicam digital camera. Click on the thumbnails to see
the full images. Click here
to see a homemade adapter for attaching a digital camera to a microscope.
All images ©1999 Daniel Moore
- bloodquartz01, 02: Blood quartz consists of quartz and hematite. The hematite grew on the surface of the quartz crystal. The quartz crystal later underwent new growth, covering the hematite. There is also a carborondum crystal near the bottom of the image. Carborondum is a synthetic mineral used as a polishing grit. The field of view for bloodquartz01 is about 4mm. The field of view for bloodquartz02 is about 2mm.
- charoite: Charoite, a purple, fiberous mineral from Siberia. The green and black is amphibolite.
- Fluoriteblocks, fluoritetunnel: These features are sometimes referred to as "negative crystals". They are void spaces within fluorite crystals that take on the geometry of the crystals. Since fluorite forms cubic crystals, these negative crystals are cubic in form. Kentucky fluorspar district. Field of view is 1mm for fluoriteblocks and 2mm for fluoritetunnel. Main features in each image are 3-4mm below crystal surface.
- malachite01,02: Malachite from Mexico, showing radiating crystal habit. Field of view is 2mm.
- vanadinite01: A vanadinite crystal from Yuma County, Arizona. Field of view is 5mm.
To see photomicrographs of 2.9 billion year old fossils, click HERE!To see fluorescent minerals from southern Arizona, click HERE! All new in May 2012!
To see some minerals in stereo, click HERE!
To see badlands and badlands fossils, click HERE!
