Paul F. Kerr’s Optical Mineralogy (3rd Edition) remains a foundational, highly sought-after 1959 textbook for the microscopic identification of minerals. It provides a comprehensive, practical guide to using polarizing microscopes to analyze mineral properties like birefringence, pleochroism, and interference figures. For a digital copy, visit the text at GeoKniga . OPTICAL MINERALOGY
Overall, I highly recommend "Optical Mineralogy" to anyone seeking a thorough understanding of the principles and applications of optical mineralogy. Its enduring popularity is a testament to its value as a reference and textbook, and it continues to be an essential resource for anyone working in the field.
“Paul F. Kerr,” she whispered, her breath fogging the eyepiece. Optical Mineralogy . Fourth edition. The one with the worn, dark green cover and the spine held together by library tape and sheer stubbornness. It was the only book that contained the complete table of “Uncommon Extinction Angles and Anomalous Interference Figures.” Optical Mineralogy Paul F Kerr.pdf
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Paul F. Kerr took over as the sole author for the third edition, published by McGraw-Hill in 1959. A fourth and final edition followed in 1977, which remains in print. Paul F
The 1977 fourth edition remains under strict copyright by McGraw-Hill. Consequently, full-text PDF copies are generally freely available on the open web. Access to a PDF of this edition is typically restricted to institutional repositories , such as HathiTrust or specific university library portals that have purchased digital licenses.
Austin F. Rogers passed away in April 1957 before the third edition could be completed. Kerr continued the revision alone, writing in the preface: “His wise counsel as a former professor and his judgment as a mineralogist have been greatly missed during this revision”. The third edition was released in 1959 and contained 442 pages. For a digital copy, visit the text at GeoKniga
Dr. Elara Vance pressed the heels of her hands into her tired eyes. The dual nicols of the petrographic microscope swam back into focus, revealing the thin section of lunar basalt. Under crossed polars, the plagioclase feldspar displayed its characteristic twinning—stripes of alternating black and gray, sharp as a zebra’s back. But something was wrong. An interstitial mineral, no more than a sliver, blazed with an interference color she didn’t recognize. Not the chalky gray of quartz, not the vibrant blue of hypersthene. It was the bruised purple of a sunset over a dead volcano.
" Optical Mineralogy " by Paul F. Kerr is an enduring, authoritative textbook that remains a foundational guide for identifying minerals through polarizing microscopy, blending theoretical optics with practical laboratory application. The text, often sought in digital form for its structured approach to petrographic studies, is divided into theoretical principles and systematic, diagnostic descriptions of mineral groups. For more information, visit geological and academic resources to explore the classic textbook. Share public link