Muscovite

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Muscovite is a common rock forming mineral and is found in igneous, metamorphic and detrital sedimentary rocks. Muscovite has a layered structure of aluminum silicate sheets weakly bonded together by layers of potassium ions. These potassium ion layers produce the perfect cleavage of muscovite.

Although it has such easy cleavage, the cleavage sheets are quite durable and are often found in sands that have undergone much erosion and transport that would have destroyed most other minerals. The sheets of muscovite also have high heat and electrical insulating properties and are used to make many electrical components. Muscovite sheets were used for kitchen oven windows before synthetic materials replaced them.

Muscovite is not often valuable as a mineral specimen but is often associated with other minerals of extraordinary beauty and value. Some very nice muscovite crystals accompany such valuable minerals as tourmaline, topaz, beryl, almandine and others. A rare twin variety from Brazil forms yellow five pointed stars and is called "Star Muscovite". A deep green variety is called fuchsite and is coloured by chromium impurities.