UKVM Collection

The United Kingdom Virtual Microscope (UKVM) collection consists of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic teaching sets.
Access the digital thin sections on the Open University's Virtual Microscope for Earth Sciences Project website.
Rock TypeRock Class PrimaryRock Class SecondaryRock Class NotesMap_Location
Aegirine graniteIgneousIgneousMagmaticRockall
Altered granite with tourmaline and cassiterite veinIgneousIgneousMagmatic
Altered tourmaline graniteIgneousIgneousMagmaticSt Austell
Amygdaloidal basaltIgneousIgneousVolcanicPapa Stour
Amygdaloidal basaltIgneousIgneousVolcanicRum
BasaltIgneousIgneousVolcanicGiant's Causeway
BasaltIgneousIgneousVolcanicStaffa
Basalt with spinel lherzolite xenolithIgneousIgneousVolcanic
Basalt with xenolith – North BerwickIgneousIgneousVolcanic
Basaltic andesite with cordierite noduleIgneousIgneousVolcanic
Biotite graniteIgneousIgneousMagmaticLuxulyan
Biotite graniteIgneousIgneousMagmaticSt Austell
Bytownite gabbroIgneousIgneousMagmatic
Cordierite/mullite nodule in basaltIgneousIgneousMagmatic
Diorite – Loch DoonIgneousIgneousMagmatic
Dunite Peridotite – Isle of SkyeIgneousIgneousMagmatic
Explosion brecciaIgneousIgneousVolcanicWheal Remfry
Feldspathic Porphyritic felsiteIgneousIgneousVolcanicIsle of Rum
Fluxion GabbroIgneousIgneousMagmaticArdnamurchan
Gabbro with chromite bandIgneousIgneousMagmatic
GraniteIgneousIgneousMagmaticShap
Granite – Loch DoonIgneousIgneousMagmatic
Granite porphyry (Elvan)IgneousIgneousMagmaticSt Austell
Granodiorite – Loch DoonIgneousIgneousMagmatic
GranophyreIgneousIgneousMagmaticIsle of Rum
Hydrothermal brecciaIgneousIgneousOdditiesTrelavour Downs
Hydrothermal brecciaIgneousIgneousOdditiesWheal Remfry
IgnimbriteIgneousIgneousVolcanicBetws y Coed
Kaersutite theraliteIgneousIgneousMagmaticLugar sill
Kaolinised graniteIgneousIgneousMagmaticSt Austell
Layered gabbroIgneousIgneousMagmaticRum
LuxullianiteIgneousIgneousMagmaticConce Moor
LuxullianiteIgneousIgneousMagmaticShabby Rocks Field
LuxullianiteIgneousIgneousMagmaticTregarden
MugeariteIgneousIgneousVolcanic
Nepheline analcime syeniteIgneousIgneousMagmatic
Nepheline SyeniteIgneousIgneousMagmaticBorralan
ObsidianIgneousIgneousVolcanicSandy Braes
Olivine Basalt – Clyde plateau lavasIgneousIgneousVolcanic
Olivine gabbroIgneousIgneousMagmaticHuntly
Olivine HawaiiteIgneousIgneousVolcanicIsle of Rum
PhonoliteIgneousIgneousMagmaticWolf Rock
Porphyritic basaltIgneousIgneousVolcanicDunbar
Porphyritic felsiteIgneousIgneousVolcanicIsle of Rum
Quartz monzoniteIgneousIgneousMagmaticJersey
Quartz tourmaline rockIgneousIgneousMagmatic
Red Tuff with reduction spotsIgneousIgneousVolcanic
Riebeckite micrograniteIgneousIgneousMagmatic
Sapphire bearing weathered basaltIgneousIgneousVolcanic
Sodalite syeniteIgneousIgneousMagmaticBorralan
Spotted doleriteIgneousIgneousMagmaticPreseli Hills
SyeniteIgneousIgneousMagmaticBorralan
SyeniteIgneousIgneousMagmaticBen Loyal
Topaz greisenIgneousIgneousMagmaticSt Mewan Beacon
Tourmaline apliteIgneousIgneousMagmaticPriest's Cove
Tourmaline greisenIgneousIgneousMagmaticSt Austell
Troctolite with chromite layerIgneousIgneousMagmatic
Two mica graniteIgneousIgneousMagmaticAberdeen
Two mica graniteIgneousIgneousMagmaticRosemanowes
Vesicular basaltIgneousIgneousVolcanicIsle of Mull
Zinnwaldite rich greisenIgneousIgneousMagmatic
Andalusite cordierite hornfelsMetamorphicMetamorphicMetapelite
Banded manganese oreMetamorphicMetamorphicOthers
Brucite MarbleMetamorphicMetamorphicMarble / Calcsilicate
Calc silicate gneissMetamorphicMetamorphicMarble / CalcsilicateHarris
Calc silicate skarnMetamorphicMetamorphicMarble / Calcsilicate
Chloritoid SchistMetamorphicMetamorphicMetapeliteArran
Clinozoisite skarnMetamorphicMetamorphicMarble / CalcsilicateBanchory
Contact metamorphosed LimestoneMetamorphicMetamorphicMarble / Calcsilicate
Contact metamorphosed sandstoneMetamorphicMetamorphicMarble / Calcsilicate
Garnet anorthositeMetamorphicMetamorphicMetagraniteLingerabay
Garnet epidote skarnMetamorphicMetamorphicMarble / Calcsilicate
Garnet gneissMetamorphicMetamorphicMetabasiteRoneval
Garnet pyroxene gneissMetamorphicMetamorphicMetabasite
Garnet sillimanite gneissMetamorphicMetamorphicMetapeliteIsle of Harris
Granophyre with clastsMetamorphicMetamorphicOthersIsle of Rum
Jimthompsonite amphiboliteMetamorphicMetamorphicMetabasite
MarbleMetamorphicMetamorphicMarble / CalcsilicateDonegal
Marble skarnMetamorphicMetamorphicMarble / CalcsilicateAntrim
Metamorphosed limestoneMetamorphicMetamorphicMarble / CalcsilicateIsle of Rum
Olivine pyroxene amphiboliteMetamorphicMetamorphicMetabasite
PhylliteMetamorphicMetamorphicMetapeliteKilmacrenan
Piemontite metaquartziteMetamorphicMetamorphicMetapelite
Pyroxene hornfelsMetamorphicMetamorphicMetabasiteIsle of Rum
Serpentinised peridotiteMetamorphicMetamorphicMetabasiteLizard
Silicate rich marbleMetamorphicMetamorphicMarble / Calcsilicate
Sillimanite biotite hornfelsMetamorphicMetamorphicMetapelite
Sillimanite kyanite schistMetamorphicMetamorphicMetapeliteGlen Doll
Staurolite kyanite schistMetamorphicMetamorphicMetapeliteCreeslough
Staurolite schistMetamorphicMetamorphicMetapeliteConnemara
Staurolite schistMetamorphicMetamorphicMetapeliteGlen Clova
Topazfels in hornfelsMetamorphicMetamorphicOddities
Wollastonite skarnMetamorphicMetamorphicMarble / CalcsilicateOmey Island
Carbonate cemented conglomerateSedimentarySedimentaryClastic
Carboniferous limestone with coralsSedimentarySedimentaryCarbonates
Carboniferous limestone with crinoidsSedimentarySedimentaryCarbonates
Cephalopod Bed, Oolitic LimestoneSedimentarySedimentaryCarbonates
Crinoidal limestoneSedimentarySedimentaryCarbonatesDerbyshire
LimestoneSedimentarySedimentaryCarbonatesAlwalton Marble
LimestoneSedimentarySedimentaryCarbonatesCotham Marble
LimestoneSedimentarySedimentaryCarbonatesPurbeck Marble
LimestoneSedimentarySedimentaryCarbonatesPurbeck Marble 2
Oolitic Ironstone – Stanion Lane RailwaySedimentarySedimentaryCarbonates
Oolitic limestoneSedimentarySedimentaryCarbonatesWeldon
Portland StoneSedimentarySedimentaryCarbonates
Rhynie chertSedimentarySedimentaryOthers
Triassic Meteorite Impact DepositSedimentarySedimentaryOthers

Developing Digital Teaching & Learning Resources for the Virtual Microscope