A software tool to evaluate crystal types and morphological developments of accessory zircon

• An innovative database for mineralogical and petrological users was developed.
• The database program enables the visualization of zircon growth.
• ZIRCTYP has the advantage of an easy data input.
• Stored data may be presented by eye-catching results sheets.

Computer programs for an appropriate visualization of crystal types and morphological developments of accessory zircon are not available hitherto. Usually, typological computations are conducted by using simple calculation tools or spread-sheet programs. In practice, however, high numbers of data sets including information of numerous zircon populations have to be processed and stored. The paper describes the software ZIRCTYP, which is a macro-driven program within the Microsoft Access database management system. It allows the computation of zircon morphologies occurring in specific rock samples and their presentation in typology diagrams. In addition, morphological developments within a given zircon population are presented (1) statistically and (2) graphically as crystal sequences showing initial, intermediate, and final growth stages.