Inter/Micro 2026 2-Day Workshop: Microscopical Identification of Biogenic and Lithic Grains in Sands
Thursday, June 18 and Friday, June 19, 2026 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., both days. Class size is limited. McCrone Research Institute, Chicago
Taught by Kate Clover
This two-day hands-on workshop will offer participants the opportunity to use microscopes in the McCrone Research Institute laboratory and classrooms to study sands from around the world and to learn to identify both biogenic and lithic grains. Sand compositions vary greatly, and each sample tells the story of the regional marine ecosystem and/or geology. The workshop will alternate between lecture presentations and hands-on microscope time. Participants will, for example, learn about the morphological characteristics of corals and sea urchins, then probe samples under the stereomicroscope looking to identify those particular grains. In our study of biogenic sands, we will investigate a variety of marine organisms: gastropods and bivalves, barnacles, coralline algae, corals, echinoderms, foraminifera, bryozoans, sponge spicules and octocoral sclerites, and red and green algae. For lithic/rocky sands, we will examine heavy mineral sands and note the color variations of garnets and olivine. We'll examine a variety of quartz-rich samples and note their differences. We'll learn to identify feldspar grains. We'll examine sands with microfossils and relate those to the regional geology. We'll also examine anthropogenic grains found in sands: slag, cinders, concrete, brick, aluminum blobs, glass, plastic, and coal. Participants are welcome to bring samples of their own into the classroom and laboratory to examine. A certificate of successful completion from McCrone Research Institute will be awarded to each student at the conclusion of the workshop.
(Photomacrograph: Leo Kenney)
Kate Clover, Kate has collected sands for more than 40 years and has over 3000 samples in her collection. She loves looking at sands under the microscope and figuring out the stories that the sand's grains reveal. Kate holds a B.S. in Geology and Technical Communications from Michigan Technological University, and studied marine biology at Clemson University. For 26 years, she worked at the Science Museum of Minnesota as a program manager and geo-science educator. She has authored books, edited newsletters, and written articles for the International Sand Collectors Society and the Geological Society of Minnesota. She has taught workshops for the International Sand Collectors Society and Minnesota Earth Science Teachers. Kate works closely with sand photographer Leo Kenney; together they publish the Splendid Sands Calendar and work on various sand projects. Leo's sand photographs will be used abundantly in this workshop.