Models of thermal conductivity of crystalline rocks

A numerical model of a rock sample provides estimates of conductivity related to mineral content that are very close to estimates provided by previous models. For any given volumetric mineral content conductivity may vary slightly, depending on the crystal arrangement and the crystal size. Order of crystallisation of the minerals causes differences of conductivity of less than 2%. Crystal size from small to up to 75% of the sample size creates differences in conductivity of the sample of about 3%. Disagreement of calculated values based on surface point-count of mineral content with measured values of the samples is up to 35%, which is attributed to the inability of one surface to adequately represent the volumetric mineral content.