| Name: Muscovite mica |
Origin of name: From the Russian, Moskva (Moscow), where much of Europe's mica was mined |
Chemical Composition: KAl2(Si3Al)O10(OH,F)2 |
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Muscovite, white mica, is a major constituent of acid igneous rocks and pegmatites, as well as metamorphic schists and gneisses; the largest crystals come from pegmatites.
Muscovite cleaves perfectly into thin, transparent, flexible plates.These were occasionally used as window panes, but most commonly to provide heat-proof windows on heating stoves and cooking ranges. Muscovite is now used as an insulating material in the electrical and electronics industry. |
Crystal system: monoclinic |
| Class: Silicates |
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| Hardness: 2.5-4 |
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| Cleavage: perfect basal |
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| Colour: typically colourless to grey or brownish |
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| Specific gravity: 2.77-2.88 |