The Beauty Microscopic Mineral Deposits in Southeastern Spain / Luis Arrufat Milán Centro De Profesores De Cehegín
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Seminario_10_2013_d 10/6/13 17:11 Página 05 The beauty microscopic mineral deposits in Southeastern Spain / Luis Arrufat Milán Centro de Profesores de Cehegín. c/Begastri s/n. 30430 Cehegín (Murcia), Spain. [email protected] Abstract The stacking of different focal planes process is featured below in order to solve the problem about depth of field in photomicrography of minerals. Due to the variety of mineral species, and therefore, the great variety of crystals, different lighting techniques are needed. Hence, those lighting system used for the enhancement of the specific characteristics of each mine- ral, are explained as well in this article. The stacking technique is for some time now used in microscopy optics to get high-resolution images. Excellent results have been obtained in many different science fields. Thus, stacking becomes a perfect tool for scientific illustration. Finally, different samples of some crystallised minerals, appeared from the southeast of the Betican mountain range, are presented. In addition, a opinion about collecting minerals and about the preservation of the natural heritage is expressed. Resumen A continuación, se presenta el proceso de apilar distintos planos de enfoque fotográfico para resolver el problema de la profundidad de campo en la fotomicrografía de minerales. Así mismo se explica el método empleado para fotografiar cristales de distintas especies mine- rales, utilizando para ello sistemas adecuados de iluminación que permiten realzar las carac- terísticas particulares de cada mineral. Este procedimiento se utiliza desde hace algún tiem- po para obtener imágenes de gran resolución con microscopía óptica dando muy buenos resultados en muchos campos de la ciencia, con lo que se convierte en un instrumento per- fecto para la ilustración científica. Finalmente, se presentan varios ejemplos de algunos minerales bien cristalizados de las rocas que aparecen en sureste de la cordillera bética y se vierte una opinión sobre el colec- cionismo de minerales y la conservación del patrimonio. Key-words: mineralogy, photomicrography, depth of field, stacking, stack and microscopy, photography of minerals, southeastern Spain, mineral lighting, lamproites. 1. Introduction The main motivation of this paper is to show how minerals are presented and how they can be photographed through microphotography, using therefore optics microscopy elements. The colour, the shape, the texture, and the structure of the crystals are characteristics that are different in each mineral The latter being the aspect which this article mainly focus the attention at. Then, a review of the crystallized minerals found in the eastern of the Betica mountain range, and of how to photograph them. The photographs of this document belong to a more exhaustive work which focuses on the idea of presenting the mineral just as it appears on the deposit. An idea that arose to solve the difficult research that is common on the countryside (mines, tailings, etc.), or other depo- 05 Seminario_10_2013_d 10/6/13 17:11 Página 06 The beauty microscopic mineral deposits in Southeastern Spain Luis Arrufat Milán sits where we could be collecting samples. The samples are mainly small crystals, most of them can be found on millimetre sizes. From the point of view of the descriptive mineralogy, it is pretty interesting and useful These minerals have been classified into natu- to know how the different species are presen- re of deposits and according to their type of ted, on what paragenesis appear and what rock-bearing mineralization in order to be rela- kind of morphology they usually acquire. ted to the geological formation of the Neogene Besides, if all this it is associated to a speci- vulcanism belonging to the southeast of Spain. fic deposit, this information can provide us very interesting data about its genesis, the Every picture of the mineralogical samples dis- chemical composition of the rocks, or the played on this work has been taken with a geological environment of the area. This acti- Nikon D50 de 6.7 MP. This digital camera (SLR) vity becomes, therefore, into something more consists of exchangeable lens, which allowed complex than what it seemed. choosing the adequate lens for each case. In short, the reasons explained so far are JPG being the output format chosen, it is what made the author start taking shots of compatible with all existing software for stac- the minerals of a specific area, the southeast king images. of the Betica mountain range. Nevertheless, it would be too lengthy to expose here all the • Olympus Lens 4x /0,10 160mm, species that are common on the Betica 10x/0,25 160mm mountain range. Thus, I decided to show just • JML Lens 20x /0,40 160mm a few samples that are related to volcanic outcrop. • Nikon AF Nikkor Lens 28mm 1:2.8 • Reicher Biovar Microscopy modified to In this article, a initiative is shown to enjoy adjust the different types of lens. the mineral heritage without destroying it: the • Bellows for macro-photography with a maxi- use of photography, photographic collectio- mum extension 12cm. nism, and photomicrography. • Two flexible arms type gooseneck with cold- type lighting (Led). 2. Material and Méthod • Circular crown for diffuse illumination and 250 species of minerals from different geologi- of dark field. cal deposits found on the Southeast of Spain have been collected and photographed. The The name of the selected minerals, the type of minerals collected were only those that appea- rock and the place where they have been collec- red well crystallised from the visited deposits. ted from are presented in the following table: 06 Seminario_10_2013_d 10/6/13 17:11 Página 07 Seminario SEM 10 Depósito legal: CA-602-2004 / ISSN: 1698-5478 07 Seminario_10_2013_d 10/6/13 17:11 Página 08 The beauty microscopic mineral deposits in Southeastern Spain Luis Arrufat Milán As far as the software is concerned, it could worth doing it. be said that there are quite a few microsco- pes that incorporate a camera inside and that Regrettably, not always someone has the most bring their own software of stacking but there adequate sample or the one we would like to are also many software specialised on stac- have, but that should not be a reason not to try king. The most well-known and popular are: obtaining the best pictures of the species of Helicon Focus, Combine ZP, Zerene Staker, minerals we have. and Picolay. Using any of them, someone can get really excellent results. The effort of obtaining a good photograph is worth only by the beauty the minerals when observed in In the present work, the software that has been context. If we can enhance their properties, the used for obtaining a definitive stack of the pictu- picture obtained will receive an extra value. res added above is Zerene Staker from the com- pany Zerene Systems LLC. I especially like this Nevertheless, when we capture images of one because it is easy to use. three-dimensional objects with an optical microscope, depth of field becomes into a great The preparation of the samples is also a very problem to be solved. This is because depth of important issue, although this previous task field is decreased when multiplying with the provides really good results. That is to say, in increase of lenses. On the contrary, if we use a order to obtain a good picture, the sample must scanning SEM microscope, depth of field won’t be already good chosen, prepared and cleaned. be a problem. But, the increase of lenses does Consequently, we remove the accumulated dust not provide a colour image. Then a very impor- and the impurities. tant type of information for mineralogy gets lost, optical properties. But again, the task of choosing the sample we want to study is really important, even more However, the use of this method (stacking), for than cleaning it. One should observe, select, increasing the depth of field, allows us to get and store in the retina the picture we wish pictures with optical microscopes much better whilst looking through all the samples. on high-resolution as compared with the ones Although this process is time-consuming, it is obtained by scanning microscopes. Image 1. Crystals of Iodargirite, lavendulana and cornwallite on a matrix of quartz. (Rodalquilar, Almería). In this picture, a bad definition can be appreciated what hinders the correct identification of the minerals. 08 Seminario_10_2013_d 10/6/13 17:11 Página 09 Seminario SEM 10 Depósito legal: CA-602-2004 / ISSN: 1698-5478 Any crystallised mineral that we wish to photo- and shadows can appear in our picture. Those graph will always present certain different opti- are unexpected effects that would make the pic- cal characteristics: colour, brightness, and ture to be useless for our purpose. (see image 1) transparency. These are the main common cha- racteristics we usually notice. Furthermore, a Taking Images crystal will always present a special texture and a different morphology for every kind. Thus, The technique used for photographing the diffe- other variables should be taken into account rent types of minerals consists of stacking diffe- such as reflection, refraction and diffraction. rent focal planes of the photographed object. This Likewise, it should not be forgotten that crystals technique is widely spread among microscopy could be, at the same time, related to other dif- and photomicrography since digital cameras ferent species also crystallised and with distinct appeared and were cheaper to be acquired whilst properties. producing excellent results. Besides, the stac- king technique gets a depth of field that photo- For that reason, all those variables are not con- graphs made with a single shooting could not trolled when we do the final composition of our achieve. Not to mention if dealing with a very picture. A miscellaneous of colours, reflections, small object (tenth or thousandth of millimetre).