Newsflash

Vacancy: Academic position in PetrologyVacancy: Academic position in Petrology

Koen Van NotenMidland Valley’s Student Structural Prize 2010 - Koen Van Noten

Departmental Seminar Series E&ESDepartmental Seminar Series E&ES 2010-2011

News & periodicals

External links

Staff

E&ES > Geology > rocklibrary@leuven

rocklibrary@leuven

Introduction

The RockLibrary@Leuven offers the possibility of a combined study of rock slices and their matching thin sections. This combination guarantees a first link between microscopic observations and the geological field reality. This physical component of the library – located in the Geo-Institute on the Leuven Arenberg Campus – consists of a cabinet of rock slices and a viewing cabinet for thin sections.
The physical component is complemented with a relational database. This database (with limited access) provides both a search and selection engine and complementary scientific information on the thin sections and/or rock slices present in the library.
The rationale of the RockLibrary@Leuven is to develop an educational tool that enables undergraduate students to improve their microscopy skills in a wide range of disciplines (e.g. mineralogy, petrology, structural geology) by means of a series of teaching collections. It also aims at creating a reference tool for graduate and postgraduate students and researchers in their research activities by means of a number of thematic collections.

rocklibrary01

The cabinet of rock slices in the Didactic Collection Room (room 01.272).

rocklibrary10

An example of a drawer with rock slices; the classification of rock slices is very flexible because of removable partitions.

rocklibrary13

The viewing cabinet of thin sections in the Microscopy Room (room 01.216).

rocklibrary15

An example of a slice with thin sections illuminated by a light box; this offers the user an overview of the thin sections belonging to a specific collection.

Teaching Collections

Teaching collections are directly applicable in undergraduate courses (bachelor in geology). Currently the following teaching collections are available:

  • Monocrystals – series of thin sections cutting uniaxial and biaxial minerals at different angles to the optical axi(e)s; this collection serves as a tool to train the determination of the optical properties of the basic – isotropic, uniaxial and biaxial – minerals
  • Monominerals – this collection offers the opportunity to study the optical properties of the basic minerals within a rock
  • Tectonic fabrics – a series of thin sections of different types of tectonic fabrics, such as fault rocks, mylonites, tectonics

Thematic Collections

Thematic collections serve as reference material in research-based teaching (graduate courses – master in geology) and research assignments at different levels (master projects, PhD, post-doc). Currently the following thematic collections are available:

  • Building stones – a collection of rocks that are used as natural building stones in Belgium
  • Brittany – a reference collection of all rock types exposed in the pre-Mesozoic Armorican massif (Brittany, France)
  • Belgium – a reference collection of the most important rocks exposed in the Belgian subsurface

Rock Slices

The rock slices are present in a cabinet in the Didactic Collection Room (room 01.272).

  • Classification Scheme Rock Slices – latest update 22.10.2009

Thin Sections

Thin sections can be found in the viewing cabinet in the Microscopy Room (room 01.216). Each thin section has a unique number, following an Universal Decimal Classification (UDC) system specially designed for the RockLibrary@Leuven.

Information for users

A number of user manuals have been edited to help the users of the RockLibrary@Leuven:

Access

Access to the database is protected by an intranet userid and matching password. Access is thus limited to personnel and students of the K.U.Leuven.

Access to database

Extra Information & Publications

  • Niclaes, M., Sintubin, M., Elsen, J. & Hertogen, J. 2008. Educational tools for training microscopy in geology: A library of thin sections and rock slices and Peer Assisted Learning. Geo2008 Resources and Risks in the Earth Systems, RWTH Aachen (Germany) – abstract – presentation
  • Niclaes, M., Sintubin, M., Elsen, J. & Hertogen, J. 2009. Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) as an educational tool in training microscopy in geology. PAL Symposium 2009, K.U.Leuven (Belgium) – abstract – presentation
  • Sintubin, M., Niclaes, M., Elsen, J. & Hertogen, J. 2009. ROCKLIBRARY@LEUVEN. Een bibliotheek van slijpplaatjes en gesteentelammellen. Eindverslag OI2006/08 (in Dutch).

Library Management

The RockLibrary@Leuven is managed by Manuel Sintubin. Researchers that want to contribute to the development of the library, please contact Manuel Sintubin.

PAL Microscopy

Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) has been introduced as education scheme to fully exploit the assets of the RockLibrary@Leuven. PAL is an education scheme that fosters cross-year support between students. Students are encouraged to learn co-operatively under the guidance of trained students (PAL-leaders).
PAL Microscopy focuses on creating extra opportunities for training microscopy skills, regardless of any particular course. Focussing on training skills and not on course content moreover encourages students to think across geological disciplines. PAL-leaders are master students (fourth & fifth year). They support bachelor students (second & third year) in their microscopy training.

Acknowledgements

The development of the RockLibrary@Leuven has been made possible by the financial support of the K.U.Leuven in the framework of the education project OI2006/08 Een bibliotheek van slijpplaatjes en gesteentelamellen (M. Sintubin, J. Elsen & J. Hertogen).
The realisation of the library has been done by Marian Niclaes, scientific collaborator of the Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences.

Contacts

For more information on the RockLibrary@Leuven please contact Manuel Sintubin.

RockLibrary@Leuven Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences
Celestijnenlaan 200E B-3001 Leuven