Rock sectioning and sample preparation facility

The techniques of making and using thin sections were developed in the 19th century. The person credited with the invention of the method of producing thin sections is William Nicol (1770-1851) of the University of Edinburgh. The first pubished paper reporting on the study of thin sections was by Henry Sorby (1826-1908) On the microscopical structure of crystals indicating the origins of minerals and rocks. William Crawford Williamson (1816-1895) of the University of Manchester also played a major role in developing the methods of studying rocks in thin section under the microscope.

The Rock Sectioning and Sample Preparation Facility in the School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences (SEAES) provides the excellent quality specimen preparation that is an essential prerequisite in the study of earth and planetary materials. The majority of the sections produced are thin sections or polished thin sections. SEAES holds extensive collections of thin sections, used in our taught courses and for research by advanced analytical methods.