MICA GROUP

 Constitute one of the most important groups of

silicate minerals
 The alkali elements are important

 Unlike most pyroxenes and amphiboles Ca is

virtually absent
STRUCTURE
 phyllosilicates or layer silicates
 SiO4 tetrahedra are arranged in sheets

 each tetrahedron sharing 3 of its oxygens with its

neighbours.
 The shared oxygens are all situated in one plane
and the apices of the tetrahedral (the unshared
oxygen) all point in the same direction
 The sheets are arranged in layers such that
apices of two adjacent sheets point towards each
other.
STRUCTURE
 These apices are cross-linked either with Al (as
in muscovite) or with Mg (as in phlogopite).
 Hydroxyl groups, which are also present, lie in
the plane of unshared oxygens and help to
complete the six-fold co-ordination of the Al or
Mg.
 The sheets are not exactly one above the other
but are staggered to some extent.
CHEMISTRY
 The general formula is X2 Y4-6 Z8 O20 (OH, F)4.
 X represents the inter-layer cations mainly K but
may also include Na, Ca, Ba, Rb, Cs, etc.
 Y stands for the octahedral cations, mainly A1,
Mg or Fe but also Mn, Cr, Ti, Li, V etc.
 Z represents the tetrahedral cations being
mainly Si, Al but may also include Be, Fe3+, Ti.
Significant F may replace (OH) in natural micas.
 In most mica the Al: Si ratio in tetrahedral sites
is 2:6.
 A chemical feature which most micas have in
common is their water content.
 Except when F content is high, micas show
approximately 4-5% of H2O+.
 The common interlayer cations are K or Na.
sometimes Ca, Rb, Cs, Be, Sr may be the rare
constituents in this position.
 The distinctive basal cleavage of all micas results
from the weak bonds between the layers and the
interlayer cations.
 The greatest variation is found in the octahedral
sites.
 The cations in this plane may be either divalent
or trivalent.
 If divalent the charge balance is achieved when
all the octahedral sited are occupied. I.e. 3 sites
per ring of tetrahedral.
 This gives the trioctahedral micas.

 If the cations are trivalent, charge balance is

maintained when only 2 of the 3 sites are
occupied and we obtain the dioctahedral micas.

CLASSIFICATION
Dioctahedral micas

W XY Z
 Muscovite K2 Al14 Si6Al12

 Paragonite Na2 Al14 Si6Al12

 Trioctahedral Micas

W XY Z
 Phlogopite K2 (Mg.Fe2+) 6 Si6A12

 Biotite K2 (Mg. Fe, A1) 6 Si6-5A12-3

 Zinwaldite K2 (Fe. Li, A1) 6 Si6-7A12-1

 Lepidolite K2 (Li.A1) 5-6 Si6-5A12-3

STABILITY RELATIONS
 each of these is a distinct mineral which does not
form a complete solid solution series with any of
the others.
 Only phlogopite and biotite form a complete solid
solution series, and the division is made as
follows:
 Phlogopite if Mg/Fe>2 and biotite if Mg/Fe<2.

 There is partial solid solution between muscovite

and paragonite.
 At temperatures below the solidus about 20% of
each is soluble in the other.
ALTERATION
 Muscovite is one of those minerals which are
most resistant to weathering and general
alteration.
 In fact sericite (fine grained white mica) is itself a
stable alteration product of other minerals.
 Hydration or weathering in humid tropical
condition may convert muscovite to clay
minerals.
 Biotite is also resistant to weathering but not as
much as muscovite. Vermiculite is the common
end-product of biotite weathering with
hydrobiotite as the intermediate step.
 Hydration replaces K+ by (H2O)+ to form
hydrobiotite.
 Oxidation may convert Fe2+ to Fe3+ which in turn
may be leached out and replaced by Mg to form
vermiculite.
 Extreme weathering produces clay minerals.

 Hydrothermal alteration of biotite most

commonly produces chlorite, calcite, epidote or
sericite may be produced from biotite by
hydrothermal solutions.
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
 A perfect basal cleavage.
 The dioctahedral micas are colourless but pale
tints of brown, green, red or violet may be
produced by minor amounts (impurities) of
chromophore elements entering the octahedral
sites.
 Fe3+ produces brown, Fe2+ green, Mn pink or red
and Cr gives the emerald green of fuchsite.
 The trioctahedral micas are all coloured. Biotite
is black to deep brown or green.
 Brown is favoured by Fe3+ and Ti and green
results from Fe2+.
 Lepidolite is gray to violet, rose red or yellow-
green. Violet shades result from Mn2+ and greens
from Fe2+.
 Zinnwaldite is yellow to dark brown or gray.
PARAGENESIS
Igneous:
 Muscovite: granites pegmatites, aplites.
 Phlogopite : peridotite
 Biotite : gabbro norite, diorite, granite, pematite
 Lepodolite and Zinnwaldite: pegmatites and high
temperature veins.

Sedimentary:
 Muscovite and paragonite : detrital and authigenic

Metamorphic:
 Muscovite paragonite, biotite: phyllites schists and
gneisses.
 Phlogopite: metamorphosed limestones and dolomites.