Open-Access Rock Mineralogy Tools for Australia

High-Resolution Imagery of Rock Samples. Image: Balz Kamber

This project will build an open-access, online digital microscope and a microchemical analysis platform for the entire mineral exploration community, helping them study and analyse significant rock specimens in minute detail.

Overview

Spearheaded by Associate Professor David Flannery, Professor Balz Kamber, Dr Luke Nothdurft, and Associate Professor Seelen Turkay from the Queensland University of Technology, this project aims to build two unique assets. Firstly, a fully functional digital petrographic microscope in plane, cross-polarised and reflected light with a maximum zoom level of 0.5 microns per pixel. And secondly, a fully-featured data visualisation and analysis platform for related geochemical data based on the PIXLISE system developed by NASA’s Mars Exploration Program (QUT-NASA project).

Users will explore and analyse large datasets consisting of chemical maps superimposed on context images, import and export data, and compare datasets across samples.

The Challenge

Petrographic and microchemical analysis of rock specimens is traditionally confined to specialised laboratory facilities equipped with costly instrumentation. This creates bottlenecks in sample throughput, limits collaboration between institutions, and hinders standardisation of imaging and data‐analysis protocols. Researchers typically juggle multiple proprietary software tools to visualise optical and chemical data, making it difficult to compare, share or reproduce results—especially for those in remote or under-resourced settings.

Expected Outcomes

  • Digitised thin-section microscope imagery for 100 samples accessible through a web-based microscope viewer.

  • Produce an instructional video explaining the use and navigation of the microscope viewer.

  • Additional chemical false colour image of nationally most important samples registered with the optical stacks, with chemical dimensionality reduced using machine learning methods.

  • Cloud-based/browser-accessed PIXLISE fork with basic functionality.

  • Large image stack capability implemented in the PIXLISE fork.

  • 10 SEM-EDS datasets displayed in the PIXLISE fork with co-registered slide scanner image stacks.

  • Code published under an open-source license.

What are the benefits?

  • Decentralised Tool Kits: democratises access to cutting-edge petrographic and microchemical tools, reducing reliance on centralised labs.

  • Enhanced Work Flows: streamlines workflows by unifying imaging and data analysis in a single, browser-based interface.

  • Greater Scientific Collaboration: accelerates mineralogy discovery and geoscientific research by enabling large-scale, reproducible studies. It will also foster interdisciplinary collaboration in sustainable resource assessment and environmental monitoring.

Who will benefit?

Academics and industry geoscientists gain low-barrier access to high-resolution imaging and analysis; university labs and workshops gain real datasets that can be integrated into the curriculum. Government agencies and consultants can leverage this platform for rapid mineral assessment and monitoring, including environmental groups or centres with limited infrastructure, who can deploy/participate in collaborative research at scale.

Access

  • Tool Access: The outputs will be accessed through a web portal, which requires logging in with an openly published username and password.

Acknowledging AuScope

This project was made possible by support from the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) through AuScope. Acknowledging AuScope and NCRIS helps us demonstrate the value of shared research infrastructure, ensuring continued support and resources for the research community.

If you helped deliver this project or have benefited from its outputs, please credit AuScope so we can include your work in our impact reporting. For examples of acknowledgment, please visit our ‘How to Acknowledge AuScope’ page.

We’d love to see your work—please tag us on social media using:

@auscope | #AuScopeImpact | #NCRISimpact

 
 

Project Name
Open-Access Rock Mineralogy Tools for Australia

Project Lead
Associate Professor David Flannery

Timeframe
Sep 2024 - June 2027

Status
Active

Funding
Pilot 4

Host
Queensland University of Technology

AuScope Programs

NVCLAuScopeQUT, High-Resolution Rock Imaging, Mineralogy and Petrography, Geoscience Research Infrastructure, Remote Mineral Analysis Tools, Open-Access Tools, PIXLISE, NVCL