mineral
Muscovite Mica
Muscovite (KAl2(AlSi3O10)(F,OH)2)
Mohs hardness: 2-2.5, Color: Silver, gray, brownish, or colorless, Luster: Vitreous, pearly, or silky, Crystal structure: Monoclinic, Cleavage: Perfect basal cleavage resulting in extremely thin, flexible sheets, Specific gravity: 2.77-2.88
- Hardness
- 2-2
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Physical properties
Mohs hardness: 2-2.5, Color: Silver, gray, brownish, or colorless, Luster: Vitreous, pearly, or silky, Crystal structure: Monoclinic, Cleavage: Perfect basal cleavage resulting in extremely thin, flexible sheets, Specific gravity: 2.77-2.88
Formation & geological history
Formed in igneous environments such as granites and pegmatites, as well as in metamorphic rocks like schists and gneisses through regional metamorphism.
Uses & applications
Used in electrical insulation, paints, plastics, cosmetics for a pearlescent sheen, and as a filler in various industrial applications.
Geological facts
Muscovite gets its name from 'Muscovy-glass', a term used in Elizabethan England for the mineral because it was used as a substitute for glass in windows in Muscovy (Russia).
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its ability to be split into remarkably thin, elastic sheets with a silvery, reflective surface. Commonly found worldwide in pegmatite veins.
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