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Fluid Inclusion Microthermometry

What are fluid inclusions and why might you want to analyse them? 

Fluid inclusions are fluid-filled vacuoles sealed within minerals.  Using a combination of microscopy techniques, and specialised equiment to measure the temperatures at which the trapped fluids undergo various phase changes, we can derive information about the temperature and pressure conditions, as well as indications of the compositions of the fluid(s) present, during mineral growth and inclusion trapping.

Optical Photomicrograph
Fluid inclusions trapped at the interface between a detrital quartz grain and a quartz overgrowth (field of view 150um).
Optical Photomicrograph
Detail of the image above, showing fluid inclusions trapped at the interface between a detrital quartz grain and a quartz overgrowth (field of view 57um).


We have in-house facilities for fluid inclusion microthermometric analysis.  The system comprises a Linkam THM600 heating and freezing stage, attached to a Zeiss Axioskop microscope, with transmitted light and epifluorescence illumination.  The Linkam stage enables heating / freezing in the temperature range ~-190 to +600degC.

Fluid Inclusion stage. A small (~3x3mm) chip from a doubly polished wafer is ready for analysis.
Fluid Inclusion stage. A small (~3x3mm) chip from a doubly polished wafer is ready for analysis.

This enables us to provide:

  • General petrographical information on the distribution and characteristics of inclusions, including the  differentiation of different types of liquid HC-bearing inclusions (see epifluoresence).
  • Information on the salinities and chemistry of the fluids (Tice, Tfm etc.), and thereby better constraints on potential fluid sources.
  • Details of inclusion homogenisation temperatures that can be used to provide a minimum estimate of inclusion trapping temperatures.

This data, coupled with general petrographical and diagenetic data and interpretations, can be combined to refine burial, structural and fluid history models.

A detailed account of our approach to fluid inclusion petrographic and microthermometric analysis is given in this brochure.

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A brief account of our approach is given here.

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