A Geoscience Digital Image Library
A Geoscience Digital Image Library
| Title | Staurolite in a fine grained mica schist |
|---|---|
| Description | Staurolite, Fe2Al9Si4O22(OH)2,is a common metamorphic mineral that is used by metamorphic geologists to determine the degree of metamorphism. Here, the staurolite is poorly distinguished, appearing as brown rectangular “ghosts” in a sea of fine grained biotite and quartz. This is not an uncommon appearance for staurolite because it often has a drab color and because it alters readily when exposed to air and mosture. Staurolite may exist as individual crystals (as is seen here), but it commonly twins to form cross-shaped compound crystals. This sample is about 5 cm across. |
| Location | USA ▹ Minnesota. Near Little Falls. |
| Photographer | Darla Sondrol. 2001-03-26. |
| Collection | University of North Dakota Mineralogy Collection #3125. |
| Key words | staurolite |
| Tech details | 1.34 MB. Hand specimen. Fujifilm FinePix S1Pro digital camera; 60mm AF Nikon micro lens. |
| GeoDIL number | 265 |
 | |