Petrographic Microscopes

A petrographic microscope is a microscope that is used to identify rocks and minerals in thin sections. Petrographic microscopes also allow for the insertion of specially-cut oriented filters of biaxial minerals into the optical train between the polarizes to identify positive and negative birefringence, and in extreme cases, the mineral order when needed (wikipedia.org). The GES department uses petrographic microscopes in several geology courses, and in research projects that study rocks from around the world.