Polarizing Microscopes Educational Resources

The chemical composition of the mineral Gadolinite ? (Y) is indicated by the formula Y2FeBe2Si2O10, an Yttrium Iron Beryllium Silicate. This Gadolinite belongs to the Silicates mineral class. It is also a member of the Datolite Group of minerals. Gadolinite is considered as a minor source of rare earth metals and it usually exhibits interesting [...]

The Datolite Group of minerals is also known as Gadolinite Group. The general formula for the Datolite Group of minerals is indicated by X(B, Be)SiO4(OH, O) where X can be either tin, calcium, yttrium, magnesium, iron, lanthanum, niobium, cerium, erbium and or ytterbium. The members of this group are commonly found containing alternating borate tetrahedrons [...]

The chemical composition of the mineral Bakerite is indicated by the formula Ca4B4(BO4)(SiO4)3(OH)3-H2O, Hydrated Calcium Boro-silicate Hydroxide. This Bakerite belongs to the Silicates mineral class. Several other minerals are found having similar physical appearance to that of Bakerite. One of them that can also be confused with Bakerite is the massive Magnesite mineral. However, Magnesite [...]

The chemical composition of mineral Datolite is indicated by the formula CaBSiO4(OH), a Calcium Boron Silicate Hydroxide. This Datolite belongs to the Silicates mineral class. Mineral Datolite is commonly used as a mineral specimen, which commonly exhibits nice and fascinating microscope images when viewed under petrographic polarizing light microscopes. Datolite mineral is rarely used as [...]