PETROGRAPHY EXAMINATION SERVICE

PETROGRAPHY EXAMINATION

Petrography is typically used to identify the mineralogy of natural materials and any potentially deleterious components or features. Man-made materials are typically examined to identify their constituents and overall quality and condition, and to determine if there is any evidence of deterioration and its causes. The identification of minerals under the polarized-light microscope is based on optical and morphological properties. Books that contain extensive listings of such properties provide the data basis for the vast number of natural minerals and synthetic phases.

A petrographic description of rock is important for the purpose of geological classification and for highlighting constituents, textures and features influencing its chemical, physical and mechanical behaviour. It is, therefore, essential to characterise rock from the point of view of mineral components, fabric and structure, and also in terms of features such as colour and the presence of veins, fossils and discontinuities.