Sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena, tetrahedrite and pyrite. Ainai Mine, Akita Prefecture, Japan
250µm
Coarse-grained sphalerite (light grey) is the main sulphide and is rimmed by chalcopyrite (yellow, centre right) and galena (white, bottom centre, top right). The galena carries small inclusions of tetrahedrite (grey, lower reflectance, centre right), which are difficult to see, and euhedral pyrite (centre right). Small euhedral pyrite cubes (light yellow, bottom right) are associated with small galena and chalcopyrite crystals within sphalerite (top and bottom right). Gangue phases are grey.
Polished block, plane polarized light, x 80, air
