Information on Muscovite

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Information on Muscovite For the Mineral Maze
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How did Muscovite get its name?
Muscovite gained its unusual name in reference to
a glass produced in the Russain province of
Muscovy. The glass, rather simply, is named
Muscovy glass. Because of muscovites clear
color, it resembled the glass enough to give it
its name. Its also known as White Mica
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Appearance
Muscovite, in thin sheets, looks almost like a
pane of glass. Its clear and almost perfectly
see through. When found in its more natural
state, sheets piled upon sheets piled upon
sheets, it is a silvery color thats quite shiny.
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Chemical Makeup
Chemical Formula KAl2(Si3Al)O10(OHF)2 For those
of you who cannot make heads or tails of that
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Locality
Muscovite is found pretty much all over the
world. There are very few, if any regions where
if you dig into the ground that you wont find at
least some trace of it.
Environment
Muscovite, due to how it forms, is mostly found
around Granite and Pegmatites (Feldspar). Since
granite and feldspar are also almost everywhere,
so is Muscovite
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Unique Properties
1. Foliated structure. What does that mean?
It means that, like most members of the Mica
family, it is made up of paper thin layers that
split apart easily 2. Lamellar like form is
slightly flexible. What does this mean? The
plate-like formations flex and bend slightly,
unlike other minerals. 3. Perfect
cleavage Alright, laugh. I know some of you want
to. This means that the layers come apart
perfectly at defined points.
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How is it used?
Alright, so here comes the important part. If it
can do all those things, what can we use it
for? Well, I guarantee you you use something
with Muscovite in it everyday if you use a
computer. Muscovite is used as an insulator in
electronics of all sorts, and is also used in
plastics, rubber, roofing, paint, and welding
rods. For something so common, its remarkably
useful.