Primary mineral connectivity of polyphasic igneous rocks by high-quality digitisation and 2D image analysis

In order to produce accurate images for geological studies, a Canon colour laser copier CLC 300 was connected to a Silicon Graphic workstation. This c onnection turns the copier into a high-quality colour scanner and printer, while keeping its copier abilities. The digitised images can be processed a nd analysed with specific programs, written using the C language under the X-Window standard graphic environment. The basic versions of these programs can be easily modified for further developments, These tools were applied to the analyses of primary mineral connectivities in two igneous rocks: a m edium-grained granite from Soultz-sous-Forets and a line-grained tonalite f rom Charroux-Civray. Results are presented and discussed in terms of fluid pathway location. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.