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Favourite SEM photos
  
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Cesar M. Salvan
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PostPosted: Aug 21, 2014 05:14    Post subject: Favourite SEM photos  

Microscopy is one of my passions. I am fortunate to be a scientist and, during my career, I learned and used several microscopy techniques. One of them is the scanning electron microscope (SEM). During the last 8 years, I handled the SEM instrument in my former research institution and performed hundreds of EDS micro-analyses for my research projects, for other colleagues and, of course, EDS analysis of minerals. In my happiest memories always will be my SEM sessions, sitting at the controls of the instrument until dawn, exploring the micro-world in a sort of "vertical journey" that I would never change for the best trip you can imagine (perhaps a trip in the starship Enterprise could compete...).

As a result of this work, I have a huge personal archive of SEM images and EDS spectra. Most of them probably will never be used in papers or publications. For a reason irrelevant here, I have reviewed my photo collection and I thought why not share these beautiful (at least for me) photos with a community that could appreciate it (at least I feel that). I cannot imagine a better place to create this "virtual gallery" than FMF. So here goes...in successive posts I will share my favorite pictures (by aesthetics or significance). Better to enjoy them than to forget them in the depths of a hard drive.

Almost all images were taken using backscattering electron detector and are in false color.



jarosita rodalquilar.jpg
 Description:
Jarosite
El Arteal tunnel, Sierra Almagrera, Cuevas del Almanzora, Almería, Andalusia, Spain
Probably one of my favorites SEM photos ever. Jarosite on goethite, used during an extensive study of the jarosite for astrobiological application.
 Viewed:  34327 Time(s)

jarosita rodalquilar.jpg



bichos copia.jpg
 Description:
Galena
Las Cruces mine, Gerena, Sevilla, Spain
One of the most recent finds: bacteria encapsulated (or fossilized by) in galena, as a result of their sulfate reducing activity.
 Viewed:  34205 Time(s)

bichos copia.jpg



galena siderita sem copia.jpg
 Description:
Galena
Las Cruces mine, Gerena, Sevilla, Spain
Although published in other post, I think is worth to add it to this gallery. The galena on siderite from Las Cruces are the main components of the intriguing "black rock" of this copper mine.
 Viewed:  34282 Time(s)

galena siderita sem copia.jpg



proustita lcc-barrillo copia.jpg
 Description:
Proustite
Las Cruces mine, Gerena, Sevilla, Spain
Proustite on Galena. The proustite was locally abundant in Las Cruces, although currently all the silver rich zone has gone.
 Viewed:  34247 Time(s)

proustita lcc-barrillo copia.jpg



pearceita las cruces2.jpg
 Description:
Pearceite
Las Cruces mine, Gerena, Sevilla, Spain
Pearceite, tennantite and galena on chalcocite matrix.
 Viewed:  34445 Time(s)

pearceita las cruces2.jpg



galena pirostilpnita hiendelaencina.jpg
 Description:
Pyrostilpnite
Santa Teresa mine, Hiendelaencina, Guadalajara, Castile-La Mancha, Spain
Continuing with Ag minerals, a small galena crystal attached to the rare dimorph of pyrargyrite.
 Viewed:  34424 Time(s)

galena pirostilpnita hiendelaencina.jpg



linarita san pascual la luz linares3.jpg
 Description:
Linarite
Coto La Luz, Linares, Linares-La Carolina District, Jaén, Andalusia, Spain.
From the type locality. This come from San Pascual mines.
 Viewed:  34307 Time(s)

linarita san pascual la luz linares3.jpg


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Jordi Fabre
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PostPosted: Aug 21, 2014 05:23    Post subject: Re: Favorite SEM photos  

Woow!
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captaincaveman




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PostPosted: Aug 21, 2014 06:16    Post subject: Re: Favorite SEM photos  

Stunning pictures
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Pierre Joubert




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PostPosted: Aug 21, 2014 06:22    Post subject: Re: Favorite SEM photos  

Keep them coming Cesar!
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Tobi
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PostPosted: Aug 21, 2014 06:37    Post subject: Re: Favorite SEM photos  

Incredible!!!
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Darryl




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PostPosted: Aug 21, 2014 06:45    Post subject: Re: Favorite SEM photos  

Wooow and stunning are under statements but at least they are printable on a public forum. I can see why you enjoyed your work so much. Please send additional photos so we can share your "journey". You comment about a voyage on a space ship reminded me of my days in optical mineralogy. There were about 10 of us in a small lab, all using heavy oils to determine refractive indexes of minerals etc. Changing the depth of focus on the petrographic scopes gave a "zooming" view much like going into warp drive on the Startreck TV series. But after a while you realized it was time to get out of the lab for some fresh air or you were going to go on a real trip and not get the assignment done.
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Roger Warin




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PostPosted: Aug 21, 2014 08:52    Post subject: Re: My favorite SEM photos  

Thank you for sharing your experience. Amazing pictures.
Roger.
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Ed Huskinson




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PostPosted: Aug 21, 2014 14:15    Post subject: Re: Favorite SEM photos  

Holy cow!! Great photos, Cesar. Please post more. These are so unusual. I envy you your time spent at the controls of the SEM machine. Thanks for sharing.

Ed in Kingman

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Don Lum




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PostPosted: Aug 21, 2014 15:29    Post subject: Re: Favorite SEM photos  

Cesar,

Thank you for posting these incredible images. They are fascinating. Please keep posting.

Don

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Cecil Bankston




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PostPosted: Aug 21, 2014 17:43    Post subject: Re: Favorite SEM photos  

How are the colors added to the SEM images?
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Martin Rich




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PostPosted: Aug 22, 2014 21:47    Post subject: Re: Favorite SEM photos  

Great!!!!

Martin

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Cesar M. Salvan
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PostPosted: Aug 25, 2014 03:43    Post subject: Re: Favorite SEM photos  

Thanks for the enthusiastic reception.

Darryl wrote:
But after a while you realized it was time to get out of the lab for some fresh air or you were going to go on a real trip and not get the assignment done.

hahah, I agree. Your comment made me remember a text that should be a must read to all scientist, professionals or amateurs: Advice for a Young Investigator (Ramón y Cajal, 1897). One chapter is devoted to the "Diseases of the Will", the negative qualities to avoid. When I read this chapter, I think I suffer all of them!. One of these negative qualities is the contemplation: is dangerous to be entrapped by the mere contemplation or the searching for the aesthetic manifestations of Nature, its beauty and elegance. He said:

"if the scientist is geologist, he will remain enraptured examining under polarized light the splendid colors displayed by rocks in polished sections".

I think that the difference between a rockhound or collector and a mineralogist is precisely the contemplation: one are focused in the mineral as an aesthetic manifestation of Nature. The second are engaged in a quest to unravel the history behind. But, I, as a contemplator, enjoy the beauty and the SEM pictures I share now is a good example...

Cecil Bankston wrote:
How are the colors added to the SEM images?

There are several methods to transform the gray-scale in color. The idea is not to add color arbitrarily, but to transform the grays in "false color" acceptable in scientific publications. The methods include the use of image processors and several algorithms applied during the image rendering in the SEM. It is relatively easy. I have my method, but in internet there are a lot of guidelines and tutorials.

I hope you enjoy the images I share today, centered in a little known deposit: the El Laco iron deposit (Chile), in which beautiful magnetite crystals and complex phosphate assemblages could be found. Following with the phosphates, two rarities from Hiendelaencina (Spain).



fosfato magnetita el laco.jpg
 Mineral: Rockbridgeite
 Locality:
El Laco Fe deposit, San Pedro de Atacama, El Loa Province, Antofagasta Region, Chile
 Description:
The strongly beautiful El Laco iron deposit, located in a barely inaccesible elevation, are composed by a magnetite volcano!. The magnetite lava formed a giant lens and, in the tubes and fumaroles, beautiful crystals of magnetite and phosphates were formed. In this case, we have rockbridgeite on magnetite.
 Viewed:  33632 Time(s)

fosfato magnetita el laco.jpg



apatito el laco.jpg
 Mineral: Fluorapatite
 Locality:
El Laco Fe deposit, San Pedro de Atacama, El Loa Province, Antofagasta Region, Chile
 Description:
Apatites (both fluor and chloro) are the most frequent phosphates in the mineral assemblage of El Laco. It forms beautiful hexagonal prisms.
 Viewed:  33718 Time(s)

apatito el laco.jpg



fosfato el laco3.jpg
 Mineral: Rockbridgeite
 Locality:
El Laco Fe deposit, San Pedro de Atacama, El Loa Province, Antofagasta Region, Chile
 Description:
Other beautiful image of the El Laco rockbridgeite.
 Viewed:  33614 Time(s)

fosfato el laco3.jpg



piromorfita hiendelaencina.jpg
 Mineral: Pyromorphite
 Locality:
Hiendelaencina, Comarca Serranía de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
 Description:
The phosphates are very scarce in the Pb-Ag-Sb deposit of Hiendelaencina, but are present as alterations of galena.
 Viewed:  33559 Time(s)

piromorfita hiendelaencina.jpg



nuevo fosfato.jpg
 Mineral: Unnamed lead phosphate
 Locality:
Hiendelaencina, Comarca Serranía de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
 Description:
This lead phosphate, the P analog of schultenite, was found independently by U. Kolitsch in Clara mine and by me in Hiendelaencina. Is still under description. I observed it a very rare alteration product of galena.
 Viewed:  33564 Time(s)

nuevo fosfato.jpg


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Pedro Alves




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PostPosted: Aug 25, 2014 09:04    Post subject: Re: My favorite SEM photos  

Good initiative Cesar.

Let's share something!
Pyromorphite: yellow;
Corkite: pink;
quartz: bluish grey;
Goethite: brown.
From Serra da Mina mine, Cercal do Alentejo, Portugal.



pyromorphite.jpg
 Mineral: Pyromorphite
 Locality:
Serra da Mina Mine, Cercal, Santiago do Cacém, Setúbal District, Portugal
 Dimensions: 119 microns (FOV)
 Description:
 Viewed:  33547 Time(s)

pyromorphite.jpg


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Pedro Alves




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PostPosted: Aug 25, 2014 09:21    Post subject: Re: Favorite SEM photos  

Kintoreite and goethite.
From Pinhal do Souto Mine, Tragos, Portugal.



kintoreite.jpg
 Mineral: Kintoreite and goethite
 Locality:
Pinhal do Souto Mine, Tragos, Chãs de Tavares, Mangualde, Viseu District, Dão-Lafões, Centro, Portugal
 Dimensions: 30 microns (FOV)
 Description:
 Viewed:  33516 Time(s)

kintoreite.jpg


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Vinoterapia




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PostPosted: Aug 25, 2014 10:01    Post subject: Re: Favorite SEM photos  

Amazing pictures, thanks to you both for showing them. I enjoy being a "Contemplanionists".
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James Catmur
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PostPosted: Aug 25, 2014 14:58    Post subject: Re: Favorite SEM photos  

Just to add my vote - superb!
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Peter Van Hout




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PostPosted: Aug 26, 2014 16:41    Post subject: Re: Favorite SEM photos  

Hard to choose a favorite but if I have to choose only one I go for the kintoreite with goethite. But all these color SEM's truly are incredible !

Peter Van Hout
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