Diversity of Patina and Patinelles on Weathered Glass in Australia –Windows into Processes and Products In Patination

Abstract

Weathering of glass results in an ultra-thin patina that exhibits a multitude of structures, micro-structures, and microlithologies that record its (geological) paragenesis and diagenesis. Scanning electron microscopy of patina from Australia shows it to be simply laminated, complexly laminated, colloform, to micro-brecciated, to mottled and clotted, with microunconformities, and micro-lithologies of laminated silica, or inter-laminated silica and calcite. These intra-patina features are termed ‘patinelles’. There are also desiccation cracks, vughs, and exogenic infiltrations of dust. This range of structures, micro-structures, and micro-lithologies are arrayed as lenses, sheets and as intra-patina masses. The diversity of patina structures and micro-lithologies, and patinelles can be used to determine the history of patina and patinelles.