Overall, I highly recommend "Optical Mineralogy" to anyone seeking a thorough understanding of the principles and applications of optical mineralogy. Its enduring popularity is a testament to its value as a reference and textbook, and it continues to be an essential resource for anyone working in the field.
In a memorial published in the American Mineralogist, it was said that “The addition of Paul F. Kerr to the select list of American mineralogists so recognized is both deserved and fitting, inasmuch as it emphasizes not only his many and manifold contributions to mineralogy and its development but also italicizes the esteem in which he is held by his colleagues and his erstwhile students”. He passed away in 1981, but his scholarship lives on through his textbook.
The second edition (1942) is often the one most likely to be found as a scanned PDF. This edition is in the public domain in some jurisdictions due to its age. A PDF of this version (co-authored by Rogers and Kerr) can be found on various academic ebook-on-demand platforms, such as the Czech National Technical Library system, where it is available for a fee for printing or digital access. Some university library catalogs also allow digital scans of out-of-copyright material to be accessed by authorized students and faculty.
Paul F. Kerr’s "Optical Mineralogy" (3rd edition, 1959) is a foundational geological text providing comprehensive,, practical methods for mineral identification using transmitted light microscopes. Its enduring relevance lies in detailed descriptions of optical properties, clear illustrations of interference figures, and systematic approaches to identifying rock-forming minerals. You can find a digital copy of the text for study through resources such as GeoKniga . OPTICAL MINERALOGY Optical Mineralogy Paul F Kerr.pdf
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Optical Mineralogy By Paul F. Kerr 3rd Edition 1959 Geology Mining Overall, I highly recommend "Optical Mineralogy" to anyone
The text begins not with rocks, but with the behavior of light. Kerr meticulously explains the construction and function of the petrographic microscope, a device that can be intimidating to the novice. By demystifying the components—polarizers, analyzers, and rotating stages—he allows the student to understand the why before the how . His explanation of the optical indicatrix, a geometric representation of refractive indices within a crystal, provided students with a mental model that made the bewildering array of interference colors and extinction angles comprehensible. This foundational approach ensured that geologists were not merely following a recipe, but understood the physics driving their observations.
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She checked the reserve desk. A harried undergraduate clutched a photocopied chapter to his chest. “It’s checked out,” he said, nodding toward a lanky figure hunched over a table by the window. Kerr to the select list of American mineralogists
by Paul F. Kerr stands as a landmark textbook in the geological sciences, having educated generations of students and served as an indispensable laboratory reference for professionals. First published in the 1930s and refined over several decades, this book has become a classic in the field of mineralogy. This article provides a detailed overview of Paul F. Kerr’s work, its content, its historical evolution, its lasting impact, and where the PDF may be found today.
Furthermore, the text bridged the gap between optical mineralogy and descriptive petrology. Once a student identified a mineral, Kerr provided context regarding that mineral’s common paragenesis—where it is found, what it associates with, and its economic importance. This contextualization prevented optical mineralogy from being an isolated academic exercise, instead presenting it as a vital tool for understanding crustal processes and ore deposits
Optical mineralogy is the study of the properties and behavior of minerals under polarized light. Paul F. Kerr, a renowned American mineralogist, authored a comprehensive textbook on the subject, which has become a classic in the field. This report provides an overview of the key concepts and takeaways from Kerr's work.