Thin section Laboratory

WHAT ARE THIN SECTION?

These are rock or mineral samples cut and polished to a thickness of 30 micrometres (µm), allowing light to pass through them. This makes them ideal for study by transmitted light petrographic microscopy, revealing their composition and geological processes.

WHAT ARE THEY FOR?

Thin sections allow for detailed analysis of the history and formation of rocks, and are essential for the analysis of the rock’s history and formation:

✔️ Mineral identification: Optical properties such as colour, birefringence and extinction.
✔️ Classification of rocks: Differentiation between igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.
✔️ Study of textures and structures: Relationships between minerals and geological processes.
✔️ Analysis of geological origin and evolution: Processes such as crystallisation, deformation and metamorphism.
✔️ Mining and exploration applications: Identification of minerals with economic value.

WHO NEEDS THIN FILMS?

This service is essential for different professional profiles, among them:

🔸 Geologists and petrophysicists: Rock analysis in hydrocarbon exploration and structural geology.
🔸 Geochemical: Study of the chemical composition and geochemical processes.
🔸 Palaeontologists and archaeologists: Identification of microscopic fossils and ancient environments.
🔸 Mining: Deposit evaluation and mineralogical characterisation.