 | |  | Muscovite is the most common form of mica. Its proper name is derived from "Muscovy Glass", which describes thick sheets of transparent mica that were once used as a glass substitute in Russia. Considering of Muscovite'southward abundance, its presence is usually lacking in collections except for it beingness an accompaniment mineral to other minerals. However, in that location are certain interesting formations and colors which are very aesthetic, and those forms are well-represented in collections. Muscovite can come in enormous crystal groupings that tin weigh several hundred pounds. Thin sheets can be peeled off as layers, and the thinner a layer is peeled the greater its transparency becomes. Except for large and resistant specimens, Muscovite is very hard to clean because if washed information technology will absorb water internally and first to pause autonomously. The best way to launder Muscovite and other Micas is with a dry electrical toothbrush. | | | Chemical Formula | KAl3Si3O10(OH)2 | | Composition | Basic potassium aluminum silicate, sometimes with some chromium or manganese replacing the aluminum
| | Variable Formula | Chiliad(Al,Cr,Mn)threeSithreeOten(OH)2 | | Color | Colorless, white, beige, xanthous, brown, gray, green, pinkish, majestic, red, black; occasionally multicolored | | Streak | Colorless | | Hardness | 2 - 2.5 | | Crystal System | Monoclinic | | | | Crystal Forms
and Aggregates | Crystals are in thick flakes, micaceous masses and groupings, and in tabular, foliated, flaky, and scaly forms. Crystals may also be elongated with one dimension flat, or chubby triangular or hexagonally shaped crystals. Muscovite also forms interesting aggregates of dumbo bladed crystals, thick rosettes, uniquely twinned star-shaped formations, and rounded botryoidal and globular masses of dumbo flakes. Muscovite may also form pseudomorphs after other minerals, bold the original minerals crystal shape. | | Transparency | Transparent to translucent | | Specific Gravity | 2.7 - 3.0 | | Luster | Pearly | | Cleavage | 1,1 | | Fracture | Uneven | | Tenacity | Sectile, Elastic | | Other ID Marks | Tendency for small pieces or flakes or pare off.
| | In Grouping | Silicates; Phyllosilicates; Mica Group | | Striking Features | Flaky addiction, crystals, sectility, and mode of occurence. | | Environment | Muscovite is a very common rock-forming mineral and is an important constituent in many environments. Its presence is noted peculiarly in granite pegmatites, in contact metamorphic rocks, in metamorphic schists, and in hydrothermal veins. Important Muscovite deposits where large significant crystals occur are almost exclusively from granite pegmatites.
| | Rock Blazon | Igneous, Metamorphic | | Popularity (1-4) | one | | Prevalence (1-three) | i | | Demand (1-three) | ane | |
 -Manganese-rich, pink to red variety variety of Muscovite.
-Dark green, chromium-rich variety of Muscovite. Named in award of High german professor and mineralogist Johann Nepomuk von Fuchs (1774-1856). -Green class of Muscovite mica in small dumbo flake groups found in Mariposa (and Tuolumne) County, California. Mariposite forms in metamorphasized Dolomite and Quartz, and these are usually present every bit veins or every bit a base material. A combination of the dark-green mica and the veins or base material forms a rock which is also chosen Mariposite, and it is sometimes used as an ornamental stone.
-A fine-grained form form of mica, normally Muscovite, that is somewhat silky in appearance. |
| Muscovite is a very poor usher of heat and electricity, and is thus used every bit an insulator for various electrical products and semiconductors. It is besides used in the production of automotive tires and cosmetics. Big Muscovite sheets were as well once used for oven windows ("isinglass") due to their ability to withstand high temperatures and keep the heat inside. |
| Muscovite is an extremely mutual mineral, nevertheless there are some exceptional localities that need to be mentioned. Outstanding Muscovite crystals, some bright yellow and others with perfect star formations, come from the famous pegmatite localites in the Doce and Jequitinhonha Valleys in Minas Gerais Brazil. Specific localities include Divino das Laranjeiras ("stars"),Galileia, Governador Valadares, Conselheiro Pena, Jaguaracu, Aracuai, and Coronel Murta. Beautiful yellow Muscovite comes from the Davib Ost Subcontract, Karibib, Erongo, Namibia. Fine Muscovite plates, often associated with valuable pegmatite gemstones, come from the Shigar Valley and Skardu Commune in Northern Pakistan. Nellore, India, is famous for its Muscovite mines which have produced some of the worlds largest mica sheets. Xuebaoding Mountain, Pingwu, in Sichuan Province, China, provides excellent Aquamarine and Scheelite that are associated with beautiful Muscovite plates. In the U.S., Muscovite is fairly common in the pegmatites of San Diego county, including Pala and Ramona. Rare Muscovite pseudomorphs afterward Tourmaline come from the Willow Spring Ranch, Oracle, Pinal Co., Arizona. A bright pinkish, lithium-rich diverseness comes from the Harding Mine, Taos Co., New Mexico; and gemmy dark-green crystals from Lincoln Co., Due north Carolina. Other of import localties include Mt Antero, Chaffee Co., Colorado; the Diamond Mica Mine, Keystone, Pennington Co., South Dakota; Shelby, Cleveland Co., North Carolina; and Bedford, Westchester Co., New York. New England contains some important Muscovite in its famous pegmatites, specifically at Middlesex Co., Connecticut (East Hampton, Haddam, and Portland); Grafton Co., New Hampshire (the Palermo No. one Mine, Groton; and the Ruggles Mine, Grafton); Mt. Apatite, Auburn, Androscoggin Co., Maine; and Greenwood and Newry, Oxford Co., Maine. |
Chlorite and Margarite - Not every bit elastic equally Muscovite.
Biotite, Phlogopite - Unremarkably darker in color, otherwise very difficult to distinguish.
Lepidolite - Very difficult to distinguish from pinkish Muscovite.
Gypsum - Cannot be peeled into micaceous sheets, crystals ordinarily differently shaped.
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