mineral

Muscovite Mica

Muscovite (KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness: 2-2.5 on Mohs scale. Color: silvery, white, grey, or colorless in thin sheets. Luster: vitreous to pearly or metallic. Crystal structure: monoclinic, forming tabular or prismatic crystals with prominent basal cleavage, peeling into flexible, elastic sheets.

Hardness: 2-2
Color: silvery, white, grey, or colorless in thin sheets
Luster: vitreous to pearly or metallic

Identified August 7, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Forms in igneous rocks like granites and pegmatites, as well as in metamorphic rocks such as schists and gneisses, through regional and contact metamorphism.

Uses & applications

Used in electrical insulation, electronics, paints, cosmetics for shimmery effects, and as a filler in plastics and rubber.

Geological facts

Muscovite is known as 'common mica' and historically was used as a window glass substitute in Russia, which gave rise to the old name 'Muscovy glass'.

Field identification & locations

Easily identified by its perfect basal cleavage, allowing it to be peeled into thin, flexible, transparent sheets with a pearly luster. Found worldwide in pegmatite veins.