Mineralogy Database

Muscovite Mineral Data

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General Muscovite Information

Help on Chemical Formula: Chemical Formula: KAl2(Si3Al)O10(OH,F)2
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 398.71 gm
   Potassium   9.81 %  K    11.81 % K2O
   Aluminum   20.30 %  Al   38.36 % Al2O3
   Silicon    21.13 %  Si   45.21 % SiO2
   Hydrogen    0.46 %  H     4.07 % H2O
   Oxygen     47.35 %  O
   Fluorine    0.95 %  F     0.95 % F
                -   %   F    -0.40 % -O=F2    
             ______        ______ 
             100.00 %      100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: KAl3Si3O10(OH)1.8F0.2
Help on Environment: Environment: Granites and pegmatites.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1850
Help on Locality: Locality: Common world wide. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: From Muscovy glass, alluding to the Russian province of Muscovy.
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Muscovite + Pronunciation Say MUSCOVITE
Help on Synonym: Synonym: Binnite (Ba)
  Fuchsite (Cr)
  Isinglass
  Potash Mica
 

Muscovite Image

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  Apatite-(CaF)   Beryl   Muscovite   Apatite

Comments: Pink crystals of fluorapatite with pale blue beryl (aquamarine) on books of muscovite crystals.
Location: Nagar area, Gilgit district, Northern Areas, Pakistan. Scale: 3 x 3 cm.
© Dan Weinrich
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  Muscovite

Comments: Pseudo-hexagonal crystalline aggregate of muscovite.
Location: Conselheiro Pena, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Scale: Crystal size 2 cm.
© Dave Barthelmy
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  Muscovite

Comments: Seams of green muscovite var. fuchsite in quartz matrix with minor pyrite crystals.
Location: Wolfe's Neck locality, Freeport, Cumberland Co., Maine, USA. Scale: 7x5x4 cm.
© John Betts - Fine Minerals
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  Muscovite   Aluminoceladonite

Comments: Large, 1cm, purple crystals of muscovite/leucophyllite, (var. alurgite which is an intermediate composition to muscovite and leucophyllite (aluminoceladonite).
Location: Ultevis, Sweden. Scale: 5x3.5x3cm.
© Tom Loomis / Dakota Matrix

Muscovite Crystallography
Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:b:c =0.5747:1:2.2203
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 5.19, b = 9.03, c = 20.05, Z = 4; beta = 95.5° V = 935.33 Den(Calc)= 2.83
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Monoclinic - Prismatic H-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: C 2/m
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 3.32(1), 9.95(0.95), 2.57(0.55),
Help on Forms: Forms:

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Forms: ( 2 2 1) ( 1 1 1) ( 0 1 0) ( 0 0 1)

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Physical Properties of Muscovite

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: {001} Perfect
Help on Color: Color: White, Gray, Silver white, Brownish white, Greenish white.
Help on Density: Density: 2.77 - 2.88, Average = 2.82
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Transparent to translucent
Help on Fracture: Fracture: Brittle - Sectile - Brittle fracture with slightly sectile shavings possible.
Help on Habit: Habit: Foliated - Two dimensional platy forms.
Help on Habit: Habit: Massive - Lamellar - Distinctly foliated fine-grained forms.
Help on Habit: Habit: Micaceous - Platy texture with "flexible" plates.
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 2-2.5 - Gypsum-Finger Nail
Help on Luminescence: Luminescence: Non-fluorescent.
Help on Luster: Luster: Vitreous (Glassy)
Help on Streak: Streak: white
 

Optical Properties of Muscovite

Help on Gladstone-Dale: Gladstone-Dale: CI meas= 0.015 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.017 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2073,KPDmeas= 0.2077,KC= 0.2109
Ncalc = 1.58 - 1.61
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Biaxial (?), a=1.552-1.574, b=1.582-1.61, g=1.586-1.616, bire=0.0340-0.0420, 2V(Calc)=38-42, 2V(Meas)=30-47. Dispersion weak to distinct, r > v.
Help on Pleochroism (x): Pleochroism (x): colorless or robins egg blue.
Help on Pleochroism (y): Pleochroism (y): colorless, very pale green, yellow, or pale yellowish green.
 

Calculated Properties of Muscovite

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.81 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Muscovite =2.83 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PEMuscovite = 2.39 barns/electron
U=PEMuscovite x relectron= 6.72 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity:

GRapi = 140.52 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Muscovite per GRapi unit = 0.71 (%)

Estimated Radioactivity from Muscovite - barely detectable

 

Muscovite Classification
Help on Dana Class: Dana Class: 71.02.02a.01 (71)Phyllosilicate Sheets of Six-Membered Rings
  (71.02)with 2:1 Layers
  (71.02.02a)Mica Group (Muscovite subgroup)
 
71.02.02a.01 Muscovite KAl2(Si3Al)O10(OH,F)2 C 2/m 2/m
 
71.02.02a.02 Paragonite NaAl2(Si3Al)O10(OH)2 C 2/c,Cc Mono
 
71.02.02a.03 Chernykhite (Ba,Na)V,Al)2(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2 C 2/c 2/m
 
71.02.02a.04 Roscoelite K(V,Al,Mg)2AlSi3O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m
 
71.02.02a.05 Glauconite (K,Na)(Fe,Al,Mg)2(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m
 
71.02.02a.06 Celadonite K(Mg,Fe)(Fe,Al)[Si4O10](OH)2 C 2/m 2/m
 
71.02.02a.06b Ferroceladonite! K2FeFeSi8O20(OH)4 C 2/m 2/m
 
71.02.02a.06c Ferroaluminoceladonite! K2Fe2Al2Si8O20(OH)4 C 2/m 2/m
 
71.02.02a.06d Aluminoceladonite! KAl(Mg,Fe)[]Si4O10(OH)2 2/m
 
71.02.02a.06e Chromceladonite! KCrMg(Si4O10)(OH)2 C 2 2
 
71.02.02a.07 Tobelite (NH4,K)Al2(Si3Al)O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m
 
71.02.02a.08 Nanpingite Cs(Al,Mg,Fe,Li)2(Si3Al)O10(OH,F)2 C 2/c 2/m
 
71.02.02a.09 Boromuscovite KAl2(Si3B)O10(OH,F)2 C 2/m 2/m
 
71.02.02a.10 Montdorite (K,Na)(Fe,Mn,Mg)2.5[Si4O10](F,OH)2 C 2/c 2/m
 
71.02.02a.11 Chromphyllite! (K,Ba)(Cr,Al)2[AlSi3O10](OH,F)2 C 2c 2/m
 
71.02.02a.12 Shirokshinite! K(NaMg2)Si4O10F2 C 2/m 2/m
Help on Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 09.EC.15 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)
  09.E - Phyllosilicates
  09.EC -Phyllosilicates with mica sheets, composed of tetrahedral and octahedral nets
 
09.EC.15 Boromuscovite KAl2(Si3B)O10(OH,F)2 C 2/m 2/m
 
09.EC.15 Celadonite K(Mg,Fe)(Fe,Al)[Si4O10](OH)2 C 2/m 2/m
 
09.EC.15 Chernykhite (Ba,Na)V,Al)2(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2 C 2/c 2/m
 
09.EC.15 Chromphyllite! (K,Ba)(Cr,Al)2[AlSi3O10](OH,F)2 C 2c 2/m
 
09.EC.15 Glauconite (K,Na)(Fe,Al,Mg)2(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m
 
09.EC.15 Aluminoceladonite! KAl(Mg,Fe)[]Si4O10(OH)2 2/m
 
09.EC.15 Ferroaluminoceladonite! K2Fe2Al2Si8O20(OH)4 C 2/m 2/m
 
09.EC.15 Ferroceladonite! K2FeFeSi8O20(OH)4 C 2/m 2/m
 
09.EC.15 Montdorite (K,Na)(Fe,Mn,Mg)2.5[Si4O10](F,OH)2 C 2/c 2/m
 
09.EC.15 Nanpingite Cs(Al,Mg,Fe,Li)2(Si3Al)O10(OH,F)2 C 2/c 2/m
 
09.EC.15 Tobelite (NH4,K)Al2(Si3Al)O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m
 
09.EC.15 Roscoelite K(V,Al,Mg)2AlSi3O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m
 
09.EC.15 Muscovite KAl2(Si3Al)O10(OH,F)2 C 2/m 2/m
 
09.EC.15 Paragonite NaAl2(Si3Al)O10(OH)2 C 2/c,Cc Mono
 
09.EC.15 Tainiolite KLiMg2Si4O10F2 C 2/m 2/m
 
09.EC.15 Chromceladonite! KCrMg(Si4O10)(OH)2 C 2 2
 
09.EC.15 Ganterite! [Ba0.5(Na,K)0.5]Al2(Si2.5Al1.5O10)(OH)2 C 2/c 2/m
 

Other Muscovite Information
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Muscovite :
1 - Alkali-Nuts(English)
2 - Alkali-Nuts(Francais)
3 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
4 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
5 - Athena
6 - CalTech Mineral Spectroscopy
7 - EUROmin Project
8 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
9 - Franklin Minerals(Palache)
10 - GeoScienceWorld
11 - Glendale Community College
12 - Google Images
13 - Google Scholar
14 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
15 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
16 - HyperPhysics
17 - MinDAT
18 - Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom
19 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
20 - Minerals in Thin Section-University of North Carolina
21 - Minerals in Thin Sections-Humboldt State
22 - Online Mineral Museum
23 - Philatelic Mineralogy
24 - QUT Mineral Atlas
25 - Ruff.Info
26 - Scandinavian mineral gallery
27 - UCLA - Petrography Thin-Sections
28 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Muscovite Specimen Label here :

Muscovite

KAl2(Si3Al)O10(OH,F)2
Dana No: 71.02.02a.01 Strunz No: 09.EC.15
Locality:

 

Notes:

 
 

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