PLM Fundamentals:
Mineral Habit
What is Mineral Habit? |
|
The HABIT of a grain is the general shape that it displays.
|
|
What Are Some Common Mineral Habits That Can Be Seen Under The Microscope? |
|
PRISMATIC A regular, roughly rectangular form |
RHOMBIC
A regular form like a pushed-over square (rhombus) |
FIBROUS
- Straight
A long, very thin, linear form |
FIBROUS
- Wavy
A long, very thin form with waves and bends |
IRREGULAR
A form with no definite shape |
How to Determine Habit on a Polarized Light Microscope |
|
|
Habit is the description of the external form of a mineral grain. Accordingly, any microscope setting that clearly shows the outlines of the grains can be used to determine habit. |
How would you describe the habit of grains in the examples below? |
||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
To see how your description compares to the instructor's... |