A university lecturer with 38 years of experience teaching Igneous Petrology and ore geology. Sadly, I’ve observed a decline in the teaching petrology, particularly at the level I was trained. My journey began at the former South London College, where I trained as a Geological Technician. It was there that I was introduced to the fascinating world of thin section preparation, creating microscope slides of various rock types and minerals and mineralogical petrology. I was instantly captivated by petrology the first time I looked through a microscope at a thin section of gabbro. The intricate textures of plagioclase and clinopyroxene sparked a lifelong interest. Understanding the optical properties of minerals allowed me to identify them and, in turn, the rock type itself. Petrological knowledge is also crucial when preparing thin sections. One must be keenly aware of the mineral phases present and how they appear at the standard 30-micron thickness. This delicate skill, almost an art form, has served me well for over four decades. I’ve prepared tens of thousands of thin sections, not only for my former department but also for my own academic work. I was in a unique position during my BSc and PhD, as I prepared my own thin sections. This continued throughout my research career and extended to supporting my own PhD students. In some cases, I even taught the technique to enthusiastic students to help them avoid delays caused by the dwindling number of thin-section technicians, but unfortunately, they were rarely replaced as staff retired. After retiring, I established a small thin-section preparation lab in a garden office, offering services to individuals and educational institutions. These guides are my attempt to preserve and pass on this invaluable geological skill and keeping a vital aspect of the science alive for future generations. Now available on the Etsy platform as downloadable files.

https://rockandskyart.etsy.com follow link for the etsy shop front. The links below are for the individual guides.

https://rockandskyart.etsy.com/uk/listing/4295085740/beginners-guide-how-to-set-yourself-up

https://rockandskyart.etsy.com/uk/listing/4299893019/advanced-guide-to-preparing-geological