Microphotographs by Domingo de Orueta y Duarte (1862-1926) in the historical archives of the Museum of the Geological Survey of Spain (Museo Geominero, IGME, Madrid)

Abstract

Domingo de Orueta y Duarte was one of the most relevant scientists of the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century. He made important discoveries and contributions to the geology and mining of the Ronda Range and, above all, he made colour microphotographs of thin sections of rocks. Orueta used autochrome plates to photograph the rocks which would later illustrate the coloured figures in his meritorious work on the mining and geology of the Ronda Range (Málaga). The Museum of the Geological Survey of Spain (Museo Geominero) hosts in its archives 78 of his autochrome plates, each with one or two petrographic images taken under cross-polarized light, and 47 of these plates include images figured in his aforementioned work. The collection of plates has been catalogued, including the information provided by each plate, all figure data, original defects and state of conservation. Even if the latter is relatively good, we have also elaborated an integrated conservation plan including interventions on the collection and preventive conservation measures. We have made a new database with all the information provided by each plate in the collection, including high resolution digitised images.