What is an Ore Microscope?

Congratulations on finding the best source for high quality ore microscopes. Now that you have found us, you need to be sure that an ore microscope is precisely the microscopy equipment that you need. Let’s start with a clear understanding of the parts and function of an ore microscope. An ore microscope has the combined features of a metallurgical microscope’s epi-illumination with a polarizing microscope’s analyzer, polarizer, rotating stage, and Bertrand lens. Our ore microscopes are capable of both transmitted polarized light (light going through a rock or mineral thin section) and reflected polarized light such as is needed with a thick polished rock or mineral piece.

The main difference between a polarized light microscope and an ore microscope is the ore microscope has the added feature of reflected polarized light. Thus, thick opaque polished sections of ores (rocks and minerals) can be examined under high power magnification using polarization. A normal polarizing microscope is only capable of viewing thin sections of specimen, thin enough for the light to be transmitted. A polarizing microscope is often called a petrographic microscope and uses transmitted light with thin sections. An ore microscope is sometimes called a mineralographic microscope and uses reflected light that is polarized.

A metallurgical microscope is also capable of examining polished thick specimens or rocks or even metal. It may even have a simple plane polarization system. However, it generally will not have both a polarizer and an analyzer providing capability for cross polarized illumination, and will not have a Bertrand lens or a rotating microscope stage.

Ore microscopes are often used by geologists for studying and identifying rocks and minerals. They can be used in mineralogy, petrology, and geology. Ore microscopy and mineralography are fields involving the viewing of opaque ore minerals in thin polished sections using reflected light illumination.

If you are thinking about purchasing an ore microscope or polarizing microscope, or are unsure which is right for your needs, please give us a call to discuss your specific microscopy application. Our experienced microscope technicians are eager to assist.