Quantitative Textural Analysis of Igneous Rocks and the Kinetics and Dynamics of Magma Solidification Processes
Quantitative textural analysis of igneous rocks has been improving the traditional qualitative and semi-quantitative petrographic methods to a new level that can be compared to geochemical analysis, which includes crystal size distribution (CSD) , spatial distribution pattern (SDP) , crystal alignment factor, dihedral angle, etc. These quantitative textural analysis techniques and their basic theoretical equations, magma dynamic and kinetic implications and application processes are introduced and summarized in this paper. Finally the analytical procedures and attentions of the two dimensional thin sections technique are discussed, and it can be concluded that the comprehensive techniques of combining quantitative textural analysis with geochemical analysis would become the important tools for studying the dynamic processes of diagenesis and mineralization, and would also extend to the field of the diagenesis and mineralization mechanisms analysis of magmatic related deposits and ore deposits forecasting in future.