This book reviews the advances in textural analysis of rocks.

Acknowledgements; 1. Introduction; 1.1 Petrological methods; 1.2 Qualitative versus quantitative data; 1.3 What do I mean by texture?; 1.4 Information density and data sources; 1.5 Structure of this book; 1.6 Software applications for quantitative textural studies; 2. General analytical methods; 2.1 Introduction; 2.2 Complete three dimensional analytical methods; 2.3 Extraction of grain parameters from data volumes; 2.4 Destructive partial analytical methods; 2.5 Surface and section analytical methods; 2.6 Extraction of textural parameters from images; 2.7 Calculation of three dimensional data from two dimensional observations; 2.8 Verification of theoretical parameter distributions; 2.9 Summary; 3. Grain and crystal sizes; 3.1 Introduction; 3.2 Review of theory; 3.3 Analytical methods; 3.4 Typical applications; 4. Grain shape; 4.1 Introduction; 4.2 Brief review of theory; 4.3 Methodology; 4.4 Typical applications; 5. Grain orientations - rock fabric; 5.1 Introduction; 5.2 Brief review of theory; 5.3 Introduction to fabric methodology; 5.4 Determination of shape preferred orientations; 5.5 Determination of lattice preferred orientations; 5.6 3D bulk fabric methods - combined SPO and LPO; 5.7 Extraction of grain orientation data and parameters; 5.8 Typical applications; 6. Grain spatial distributions and relations; 6.1 Introduction; 6.2 Brief review of theory; 6.3 Methodology; 6.4 Typical applications; 7. Textures of fluid-filled pores; 7.1 Introduction; 7.2 Brief review of theory; 7.3 Methodology; 7.4 Parameter values and display; 7.5 Typical applications; 8. Appendix. Computer programs for use in quantitative textural analysis - freeware, shareware and commercial; 8.1 Abbreviations; 8.2 General analytical methods; 8.3 Grain and crystal sizes; 8.4 Grain shape; 8.5 Grain orientations - rock fabric; 8.6 Grain spatial distributions and relations; Figure captions; References.