thin section

A thin section is a very delicate slice of rock or mineral that has been cut extremely thin—so thin that light can pass through it. This allows scientists to examine its mineral composition and structure under a microscope, revealing important details about its formation and history. Thin sections are typically mounted on glass slides and used in geology and mineralogy to study the internal features of rocks that aren't visible to the naked eye. This technique helps geologists identify different minerals and understand the processes that created the rock.