Biaxial Minerals Descriptions

• Olivine
• Pyroxenes
– Orthopyroxene
– Clinopyroxene
• Amphibole
– Hornblende
– Actinolite
• Micas
– Biotite, muscovite, chlorite
• Feldspars
– Plagioclase
– Microcline, orthoclase, sanidine

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Pyroxene
• Inosilicates (single chain) – Si2O6
• Two groups to consider:
– Orthopyroxenes
• Orthorhombic
• Ca-poor pyroxenes
– Clinopyroxenes
• Monclinic
• Ca-rich pyroxenes
• Both exhibit a range of compositions
and thus a range of optical properties

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Pyroxene
Compositional
Groups

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 Orthopyroxene -OPX
• General formula – (Mg,Fe)2Si2O6
• Represented by two end member
components
– Enstatite – MgSiO3
– Orthoferrosilite – FeSiO3
• Natural opx is a mixture of the two
• Variable composition = variable optical
properties

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Orhtopyroxene
Refractive Indices
En OFs
nα 1.649 1.768
nβ 1.653 1.770
nγ 1.657 1.788

Birefringence varies from 0.007 to 0.020

2VZ angle varies from 50 to 132°, dependant on
composition, so the optic sign may be -ve
(2VZ>90°)or +ve (2VZ<90°)

Generally, natural opx is optically negative

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Orthopyroxene
Variation in optical
properties with
composition

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2
 Orthopyroxene
Orthorhombic Optic Z c
Crystallographic axes Plane OA
are:
101
1. of unequal length 100

010
2. Mutually X
perpendicular b
3. Coincide with a 110
indicatrix axes Y
OA

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Orthpyroxene
Colour and Pleochroism
May be weakly coloured – salmon pink to
green
Pure En is colourless, but with the addition of
Fe, coloured varieties are possible
Fe-rich samples are pleochroic
X = pink, brown, pale yellow
Y = light brown, yellow, pinkish yellow
Z = light green, grey-green

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Orthopyroxene
Cleavage, fracture
Sections cut parallel to c-axis will show a
single cleavage
– When the cleavage is parallel to the
lower polar the colour is green
– When the cleavage is perpendicular to
lower polar the colour is pink
Sections cut perpendicular to c- axis will
exhibit two cleavages that meet at
90°

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 Orthopyroxene
Crystal Form
Euhedral crystals generally form stubby
prisms
Basal sections (those perpendicular to c-axis)
are four or eight sided and will show the
two cleavages at 90° to each other

a a a a
010

b b b b
010

010
0
11 11
0
0
11

001 001 001

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Orthopyroxene
a Y
Optic Section of OPX
Plane perpendicular to c- axis
Exhibits:
X
010

Z
Two cleavages at 90°
b Symmetrical extinction
110 ~ Bxo Figure
100

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Orthopyroxene
Crystal Form (continued)
Longitudinal sections (those cut parallel
to c-axis) are rectangular and will
exhibit a single cleavage

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 Orthopyroxene
Z c
Section of OPX
OA
perpendicular to a- axis
2VZ=50-132° Exhibits:
010

X 1 cleavage
Y b Parallel extinction
Max. interference colours
OA Optic Normal Figure

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Orthopyroxene
Z c Optic
101
Plane
Section of OPX
perpendicular to b- axis
Exhibits:
a
100

X Y 1 cleavage
Parallel extinction
Bxa Figure

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Orthopyroxene
Alteration
Alteration to serpentine, talc, and fine grained
amphibole (actinolite)

Occurrence
Mg-rich opx is common in mafic intrusive
rocks (gabbro, norite, etc.).
Fe-rich opx is found in more siliceous igneous
rocks (diorite, syenite etc.)
opx is common in high grade regional
metamorphic rocks

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 Orthopyroxene
Properties
1. Low interference
colours
2. Parallel extinction
3. Weakly pleochroic –
pale green to pink
4. High 2V angle
(>75°)
5. Optically -ve
OPX page
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By Convention Linking crystallographic

OPX X=b, Y=a, Z=c and optic features in
OPX
X or Y a or b Questions:
1) Which axis
corresponds to a and
b?
c=Z a or b 2) Which axis
X or Y corresponds to X and
Y?
Comes down to identifying
110
where the Optic Plane lies
in this grain

How to determine the position of the OAP?

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OPX X=b, Y=a, Z=c Determine the vibration directions and

identify the position of the fast ray (X
indicatrix axis)

c=Z

110

45° from Extinction

At Extinction

Vibration directions are Upon inserting the Gypsum Plate

parallel to crosshairs Colours can either decrease or
Colours can increase,
increase parallel to plate
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 OPX X=b, Y=a, Z=c Determine the vibration directions and
identify the position of the fast ray (X
indicatrix axis)
Y a

OAP
c=Z b
Fast Ray = X
X

110

45° from Extinction

At Extinction

Working backwards to Upon inserting the Gypsum Plate

the grain at extinction If colours decrease then X is parallel to plate

Brock University ©2001 G.C. Finn

By Convention Linking crystallographic

OPX X=b, Y=a, Z=c and optic features in
OPX
X or Y a or b Questions:
1) Which axis
corresponds to a and
b?
c=Z a or b 2) Which axis
X or Y corresponds to X and
Y?
Comes down to identifying
110
where the Optic Plane lies
in this grain

Alternatively can look at the Interference Figure,

Which for this orientation is a Bxo Figure
Brock University ©2001 G.C. Finn

By Convention Linking crystallographic

OPX X=b, Y=a, Z=c and optic features in
OPX
ON
OAP
nBxa
Bxo nβ

At Extinction 45° from Extinction

On rotation, the cross splits with the Isogyres

leaving the FOV in the quadrants into which
the OAP is rotating
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 By Convention Linking crystallographic
OPX X=b, Y=a, Z=c and optic features in
OPX
ON
a

b X OAP
Y

nBxa
nβ
Fast Ray =
nBxa = nα

45° from Extinction 45° from Extinction

Insert the Gypsum plate to determine whether

nBxa is nα (decrease
decrease) or nγ (increase
increase)

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