Presentation

On
Mica Industry
Contents
 Introduction
 History
 Classification of Mica
1.Trioctahedral
2.Interlayer Deficient Micas
 Occurrence
 Manufacturing Process
 Properties and Uses
1.Electronics
2.Isinglass
3.Other
Introduction
• The word "mica" is thought to be derived from the Latin
word micare, meaning "to glitter", in reference to the
brilliant appearance of this mineral
• The mica group of sheet silicate (phyllosilicate) minerals
includes several closely related materials having highly
perfect basal cleavage.
• All are monoclinic with a tendency towards pseudo-
hexagonal crystals and are similar in chemical composition.
• The highly perfect cleavage, which is the most prominent
characteristic of mica, is explained by the hexagonal sheet-
like arrangement of its atoms.
 History
• Human use of mica dates back to pre-historic times.
• Mica was known to ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman
civilizations, Chinese civilization, as well as the Aztec
civilization of the New World.
• Mica was also used in cave paintings in the Upper Paleolithic
period. The first hues were red (iron oxide, hematite, or red
ochre) and black (manganese dioxide, pyrolusite), though
black from juniper or pine carbons has also been discovered.
White from kaolin or mica was used occasionally.
• The Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan contains considerable
amount of mica in layers upto 30cm(12 in) thick.
Classification of Mica
• Chemically, micas can be given the general formula[1]
X2Y4–6Z8O20(OH,F)4
in which X is K, Na or Ca ; Y is Al, Mg or Fe ; Z is
chiefly Si or Al
• Structurally, micas can be classed as dioctahedral (Y =
4) and trioctahedral (Y = 6). If the X ion is K or Na the
mica is a common mica whereas if the X ion is Ca the
mica is classed as a brittle mica.
Trioctahedral
• These include ---
 Common micas :
1.Phlogopite
2.Biotite
3.Zinnwaldite
4.Lepidolite
5.Muscovite
 Brittle micas :
1.Clintonite
Interlayer Deficient Micas
• Very fine-grained micas with typically more
variation in ion and water content are informally
termed clay micas. They include :
1. Hydro-muscovite with H3O+ along with K in the X
site
2. Illite with a K deficiency in the X site and
correspondingly more Si in the Z site
3. Phengite with Mg or Fe2+ substituting for Al in the
Y site and a corresponding increase in Si in the Z site
Occurence
• Mica is widely distributed and occurs in igneous,
metamorphic and sedimentary regimes.Large crystals
of mica are typically mined from granitic pegmatites.
• In the 19th century the largest documented single
crystal of mica(phlogopite) was found in Lacey mine,
Ontario, Canada.
• The British Geological survey reports China as the
top producer of mica, closely followd by US, South
Korea and Canada.
Scenario in India
• The British Geological Survey reports that as of
2005, Koderma district in Jharkhand state in India
had the largest deposits of mica in the world.
• Mica deposits are found in northern edge of the
Chota Nagpur plateau.
• In Rajasthan the major mica producing are is around
Ajmer. Nellore mica belt of Andhra Pradesh is also
an important producer of mica in the country.
Manufacturing Process
• Labourers go in field with chisel and hammer from vein to vein to find out
paying pegmatite veins.Mines are developed following the veins.
• The Room and Pillar method is adopted in Mining.The mica obtained from
the mine is called crude mica.It requires a little dressing to remove
associated pegmatite dirt as well as defective portions such as buckled,
wrinkled and wavy mica.They are rifted away with sickle.
• Book-mica, split into a size atleast covering an area of 2 x 1½ and about 1/8
inch thick is called block mica. Block mica split into thin films of thickness
0.004-0.0012 inch is claled mica-film and less than 0.0012 inch thick as
splitting.
• During processing a considerable amount of mica goes waste.This waste
mica is called Scrap mica.The ratio of scrap mica to crude varies.
Properties and uses
• Electronics
1. Mica has a high dielectric strength and excellent
chemical stability, making it a favoured material for
manufacturing capacitors for radio frequency
applications.
2. It has also been used as an insulator in high voltage
electrical equipment, and between the bars of
commutators in direct current motors and generators.
3. Mica is used because it can be split into very thin slices,
and this keeps its thermal resistance low while retaining
sufficient dielectric strength to prevent current from
flowing across it at moderate voltages.
• Isinglass
1. Thin transparent sheets of mica called "isinglass" were
used for peepholes in boilers and lanterns because they
were less likely to shatter compared to glass when
exposed to extreme temperature gradients.
2. Such peepholes were also used in "isinglass curtains" in
horse-drawn carriages and early 20th century cars.
• Other
1. Mica is also birefringent and is commonly used to make
quarter and half wave plates.
2. Because mica can be pressed into a thin film, it is often
used on Geiger-Müller tubes to detect low penetrating
alpha particles.
3. Some brands of toothpaste include powdered white mica.
This acts as a mild abrasive to aid polishing of the tooth
surface, and also adds a cosmetically-pleasing glittery
shimmer to the paste.
4. Mica is used in the production of pearlescent pigments.
5. Mica sheets are used to provide structure for heating
wire in heating elements and can withstand up to 900 °C
(1,650 °F). Because mica is resistant to heat, it is
used instead of glass in windows for stoves and
kerosene heaters.
 Bibliography
• http://www.mineralszone.com/minerals/mica.html
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mica
• http://www.hindustanmineral.com/
• www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/379747/mi
ca
• Deer, W. A., R. A. Howie and J. Zussman (1966)
An Introduction to the Rock Forming Minerals,
Longman
• P. C. Rickwood (1981), “The largest crystals”
• Google Images