Table of Contents
- 1 How would you identify a mica?
- 2 What is the distinguishing properties between biotite mica and muscovite mica?
- 3 What is the best way to identify biotite mica?
- 4 Which is a characteristic of the mica group?
- 5 How is mica similar to other sheet silicate minerals?
- 6 Which is the most abundant mica in the world?
How would you identify a mica?
The identification of a sheet of mica is never much of a problem even for an untrained eye. All forms of mica have perfect basal cleavage, unique hexagonal shaped crystals, and an unmistakable “snap” of cleavage flakes when they are bent together and then released.
What is the distinguishing properties between biotite mica and muscovite mica?
Explanation: The colour of the minerals is the most distinguishing property between the two. The biotite mica shows black colour, whereas, the muscovite mica is almost colourless.
What is the best way to identify biotite mica?
Biotite is very easy to identify, and with a little experience a person will be able to recognize it on sight. It is a black mica with perfect cleavage and a vitreous luster on the cleavage faces. When biotite is separated into thin sheets, the sheets are flexible but will break upon severe bending.
What is mica group?
mica, any of a group of hydrous potassium, aluminum silicate minerals. It is a type of phyllosilicate, exhibiting a two-dimensional sheet or layer structure. Among the principal rock-forming minerals, micas are found in all three major rock varieties—igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.
What is the classification of mica?
Mica is a mineral name given to a group of minerals that are physically and chemically similar. They are all silicate minerals, known as sheet silicates because they form in distinct layers. Micas are fairly light and relatively soft, and the sheets and flakes of mica are flexible.
Which is a characteristic of the mica group?
The most easily recognizable characteristic are the thin crystal layers. With many micas the sheets peel off in thin transparent layers due to mica’s perfect cleavage. The crystal structure is monoclinic with a somewhat hexagonal crystal shape. These two characteristics are due to the structure of the atoms that make up the mica group.
How is mica similar to other sheet silicate minerals?
The mica group of sheet silicate ( phyllosilicate) minerals includes several closely related materials having nearly perfect basal cleavage. All are monoclinic, with a tendency towards pseudohexagonal crystals, and are similar in chemical composition.
Which is the most abundant mica in the world?
Of the 28 known species of the mica group, only 6 are common rock-forming minerals. Muscovite, the common light-coloured mica, and biotite, which is typically black or nearly so, are the most abundant.
What are the different colors of mica crystals?
All crystallize in the monoclinic system, with a tendency towards pseudohexagonal crystals, and are similar in structure but vary in chemical composition. Micas are translucent to opaque with a distinct vitreous or pearly luster, and different mica minerals display colors ranging from white to green or red to black.