Colour masks in digital image analysis: A technique for modal analyses of quartz saturated plutonic rocks

Abstract

Mineral modes can be calculated quickly and accurately by using colour masks in scanned digital images of stained, quartz saturated plutonic rocks. The image analysis method for determining modal compositions is as accurate as manual point counting, and remarkably faster. A comparison of the manual point counting and pixel resolution methods, and a step by step procedure for calculating mineral modes in quartz saturated plutonic rocks are provided to make modal composition calculations fast, accurate, and efficient.

Keywords

• plutonic rocks
• modal analysis
• staining
• image analysis
• color masks
• techniques