Zircon, ilmenite, copper and copper oxides. Gold concentrate. Brazil
250µm
Ilmenite (light brown-grey, bottom left, top left) and rounded to subhedral zircon (grey) are natural phases. An adventitious curved splinter of copper (pink, high reflectance) has oxidized to copper oxides and hydroxides (blue-grey, centre). Light blue areas with fine scratches surrounding ilmenite and zircon are relict carbon-coating. The grey matrix is resin.
Grain mount, plane polarized light, x 80, air
