Group 3

Garas, Aldeth
Leandro Ernesto

Aque,

Motol, Kristine Joy

Kenneth

Perez,
Ore Microscopy Report

Bornite

Chalcopyrite

Qtz/Sphalerite(?)

Qtz
Pyrolusite

Hematite

PPL
XPL
Sample #31
General Texture: Replacement
Observations:
Generally, the polished section was observed with replacement
textures. It is generally highly scratched due to polishing, resulting for
other characteristics such as cleavage, parting and twinning not to be
clearly observed. The observations made in the polished section were
focused on the optical properties of the minerals present and their
relationship with each other.
One of the dominant minerals in the section is the pinkish-brown,
anhedral to subhedral crytals with low reflectance which can be bornite.
These minerals are observed to be slightly bireflective and pleochroic, as
they changes their tint from pinkish brown to pale violet. They exhibit
absent to weak anisotropism and no internal reflection.
Chalcopyrite minerals which are characterized by their brassy yellow
color and high reflectance. These minerals also showed absent to weak
reflection pleochroism, bireflectance, anisotropism and internal
reflectance. They are commonly found on the edges of bornite crystals.
The chalcopyrite minerals dont have their own crystal form and are found
as intergrowths with bornite crystals. They can also be replacement
minerals (?) in bornite.

The prominent gray colored, anhedral quartz crystals with high

polishing relief are also present in the sample. They are also observed
with absent bireflectance and reflection pleochroism and with weak to
moderate anisotropism. Adjacent to the mineral quartz, noticeable black
to dark gray minerals with low reflectivity are observed. This could also be
quartz crystal since these minerals are also known to be found with these
characteristics. This occurrence can be attributed to the deformation
history of the rock as undulose quartz, or the way these minerals are
deposited. However, the presence of sharp boundary between these
minerals and the very weak yellow to reddish brown internal reflection
along the fractures could be indicators of another mineral phase in the
rock. The closest possible mineral characterized by the same property
indicated above is sphalerite. They are also commonly associates with
other sulphide minerals such as chalcopyrite and bornite, which are also
present in the rock.
Pyrolusite is also observed in the polished section with anhedral
form. It is commonly white and it exhibits fibrous habit. Moderate
bireflectance was observed and its reflection pleochroism changes its tint
from creamy white to yellowish white. The internal reflection is absent and
it has very noticeable and distinctive anisotropism, changing its color from
creamy white to blue/pale violet.
Islands of white minerals are also observed in the section. At first, it
was mistakenly identified as pyrolusite due to their similar tint and
reflectance. However, upon further observations, these minerals did not
exhibited the any reflection pleochroism, and they only show weak
anisotropism and bireflectance unlike the pyrolusite mineral. Also, these
minerals exhibit their characteristic red to brownish red internal reflection.
From these observations, the minerals are identified as hematite which
are commonly associated with pyrolusite, and other oxide minerals in an
oxidizing condition of deposition.

Mineral Composition
Bornite

- 25%

Chalcopyrite

- 15%

Quartz

- 20%

Sphalerite/Quartz (?)

- 15%

Pyrolusite

- 20%

Hematite

- 5%