22 Collections of 3D Thin Sections, Outcrops and Fossils
A growing number of geoscientists, geology students and museum curators are beginning to share their thin sections, outcrops, and fossils online and with the world. Some have even developed virtual microscopes, including polarizing filters to allow others to view their collections.
Many of the these collections have also been 3D scanned and uploaded to Sketchfab for anyone to view and use. The collections below include 3D scans of fossils, minerals, rocks and even 3D outcrops that anyone can download and use.
3D Rock Deformational Fabrics
3D scans of rock deformational fabrics from the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena, Germany.
3D Models Of Minerals
A Sketchfab collection of many minerals.
3D Sedimentological Models
A Sketchfab collection of various sedimentological features by Robert Mahon.
AusGeol Outcrop Models
High resolution 3D models of unique field outcrops in Australia.
Australian Outcrop Gigapans
High resolution images (gigapans) of outcrops and landscapes across Australia produced by Project Live.
Digital Atlas Of Ancient Life
A collection of 3D models of paleontological specimens.
Digital Morphology
Collection of digital morphology and high resolution X-ray tomography of fossils.
Geology 3D Models
A massive collection of 3D Sketchfab geology models to download or purchase.
GB3D Type Fossils
A collection of 3D models of macrofossil species found in British collections.
Heavy Mineral Identification Under The Polarization Microscope
A YouTube channel and playlist to show you how to identify dozens of heavy minerals under the microscope with Dr. Laura Stutenbecker.
Mid-Atlantic Geo-Image Collection
List of high resolution photographs (gigapans) of over 100 thin sections.
Project Live - 360 Images
360 degree images of various outcrops across Australia produced by the University of Southern Australia.
Project Live - 3D Models
Large-scale high-resolution 3D models of landscape features made by Project LIVE from the University of South Australia.
RockPTX
Offers virtual thin sections in PPL and CPL along with video recordings of minerals under the microscope.
RocksandMinerals
A collection of 3D models of rocks made by Dexter Perkins and students at the University of North Dakota.
Sediment Gigapans
List of high resolution photographs (gigapans) of sediment from over 100 localities.
UK Virtual Microscope
The United Kingdom Virtual Microscope (UKVM) collection consists of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks from around the UK.
UMORF Repository Of Fossils
A collection of 3D models of vertebrate and invertebrate fossils.
Virtual Fossils Oxford University Museum
Another collection of 3D models of vertebrate and invertebrate fossils.
Virtual Petrographic Microscope
A free standalone Windows and Mac OSX desktop software tool designed to aid geoscience researchers, students, and educators in rock thin section analysis without the need for a petrographic microscope.
WesternScienceCenter
A collection of 3D models of mammoth teeth and other fossils.
WVU Volcanology And Petrology Lab
A collection of 3d Models of cores, rocks and minerals produced by WVU.