A photomicrograph dataset of rocks for petrology teaching at Nanjing University

Abstract

<p indent="0mm">Thin sections have always played an irreplaceable role in the nearly 100-year history of petrology teaching and research in the School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University. Despite their depletion, loss, supplementation, and update, the thin sections at Nanjing University have formed a relatively comprehensive set, which include 28 types of sedimentary rocks, 40 types of igneous rocks, and 40 types of metamorphic rocks. As a whole, they cover over 90% of common rock types, and contain more than 95% of the common minerals and rock textures mandated by the syllabus of geology. This dataset results from a collective endeavor to electronically informatize the thin sections currently used by Nanjing University for petrology teaching. It includes a total of 2634 polarized-light micrographs of 324 thin sections of 108 types of rocks. To facilitate petrology teaching material sharing, we present the photomicrographs and information tables of these thin sections here. This dataset can be used by instructors as teaching materials, or by students for professional training or self learning. In uniform standards and of high quality, these image data can be used for research on machine learning and intelligent rock identifications. These photomicrographs can also be used as materials for advertising and pattern design in production practice.

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