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I am Alessandro Da Mommio a geologist and petrographer. I graduated from the University of Pisa and subsequently obtained a PhD at the Department of Earth Sciences "Ardito Desio" of the University of Milan. For almost twenty years, I have been studying and documenting minerals and rocks through petrographic microscopy, with a particular interest in thin-section analysis and photomicrography. Alongside my scientific activity, I have always maintained a strong interest in science communication and education, with the aim of making petrography accessible to students, researchers, and enthusiasts of Earth sciences.
I am a co-author of "Atlas of Minerals and Igneous and Metamorphic Rocks in Thin-Section", a petrographic atlas published by Cambridge University Press in May 2025. The book contains a selection of photomicrographs that I have taken over almost two decades of work, research, and study in petrography. The publication of the atlas represents, in part, the culmination of a long-term effort to organize and systematize the petrographic knowledge and photographic documentation collected through this website, which I founded in 2006. Over the years, the website has grown into a reference resource for students, researchers, geologists, and petrography enthusiasts, reaching an international audience.
The images featured on this website were acquired using a Canon EOS 60D digital camera mounted on a Zeiss Axioplan microscope. They document a wide range of minerals and igneous and metamorphic rocks observed in thin section, illustrating their mineralogy, textures, and microscopic features. All photographs displayed on this website are my exclusive property and are protected by copyright. Reproduction, redistribution, or commercial use of any image is strictly prohibited without my prior written permission. Images may be made available for educational or scientific outreach purposes upon request and with prior authorization. For permission to use any of the photographs, please contact me at:
alexdm83[at]libero[dot]it
Winning Photo (second place) in the Nikon Small World 2014 photomicrography competition