The facts
What mica (Industrial) actually is
Mineralogically, mica (Industrial) is sheet silicate minerals with perfect basal cleavage, split into thin flexible transparent laminae; supplied as sheet, block, splittings, or ground flake — Muscovite KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2; phlogopite KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2, crystallising in the monoclinic system.
The colour is caused by colourless to silvery (muscovite), amber-brown (phlogopite); optical clarity and freedom from inclusions set sheet-mica grade. That is worth knowing because it determines what heating, light and time can and cannot do to the stone.
A refractometer reads 1.55-1.62, and the specific gravity sits near 2.76-3.00; cleavage is perfect basal - the defining property and the whole basis of the industry.
Where mica (Industrial) comes from
The recognised sources are Koderma and Giridih, Jharkhand, and Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, India - the historic sheet-mica belt, Spruce Pine, North Carolina, USA (flake mica, a feldspar and quartz co-product), Madagascar (phlogopite, the world's main source) and Ratnapura, Sri Lanka; Minas Gerais, Brazil; Russia.
Origin affects price in this material, so we name the locality on every quote rather than the country. "African" or "Asian" tells a buyer nothing.
How mica (Industrial) is treated
Split, punched and graded for sheet; ground wet or dry for flake. Uses: electrical and thermal insulation, capacitors, furnace and stove windows, joint compound and drywall texture, paint extender and pearlescent pigments, cosmetics, drilling-fluid lost-circulation material, and automotive. ETHICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN: mica mining in Jharkhand and Bihar is largely informal and has documented child labour, illegal mining on forest land and fatal collapses, and a large share of global cosmetic-grade mica passes through it. The Responsible Mica Initiative was formed in response, and several cosmetic houses have moved to synthetic fluorphlogopite instead. This belongs in any honest description of the material.
None of this is a problem when it is said out loud. It becomes one the moment it is left out.
What mica (Industrial) is confused with
The usual confusions are Synthetic fluorphlogopite (the ethical substitute in cosmetics), Vermiculite (an altered mica, exfoliates on heating), Sericite (fine-grained muscovite) and Talc.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.55-1.62 and specific gravity 2.76-3.00 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What mica (Industrial) is used for
Mica (Industrial) is bought by heavy industry, cosmetics, drilling fluids and mineral collecting — and each of those trades wants a different form of the same material.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the tonne or by the specimen.
Durability and care
Mica (Industrial) is 2-3 on the Mohs scale, with perfect basal - the defining property and the whole basis of the industry cleavage.
Below about 5.5 a stone will be scratched by ordinary household dust, which is largely quartz. That does not make it unusable — it makes it a pendant, an earring or an object rather than a ring worn every day.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What mica (Industrial) costs
Indicative pricing for mica (Industrial) is $150-400 per tonne for ground scrap and flake; high-quality sheet and block mica $500-3,000 per tonne and up for electrical grades.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is mica (Industrial) treated, and how?
Split, punched and graded for sheet; ground wet or dry for flake. Uses: electrical and thermal insulation, capacitors, furnace and stove windows, joint compound and drywall texture, paint extender and pearlescent pigments, cosmetics, drilling-fluid lost-circulation material, and automotive. ETHICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN: mica mining in Jharkhand and Bihar is largely informal and has documented child labour, illegal mining on forest land and fatal collapses, and a large share of global cosmetic-grade mica passes through it. The Responsible Mica Initiative was formed in response, and several cosmetic houses have moved to synthetic fluorphlogopite instead. This belongs in any honest description of the material.
Where does mica (Industrial) come from?
Koderma and Giridih, Jharkhand, and Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, India - the historic sheet-mica belt, Spruce Pine, North Carolina, USA (flake mica, a feldspar and quartz co-product), Madagascar (phlogopite, the world's main source) and Ratnapura, Sri Lanka; Minas Gerais, Brazil; Russia. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is mica (Industrial) hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 2-3 on the Mohs scale it is softer than the quartz dust in ordinary household dirt, so it scratches with wear. It suits pendants, earrings and objects better than a daily ring.
How much does mica (Industrial) cost?
Indicatively $150-400 per tonne for ground scrap and flake; high-quality sheet and block mica $500-3,000 per tonne and up for electrical grades. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is mica (Industrial) confused with?
Most often Synthetic fluorphlogopite (the ethical substitute in cosmetics), Vermiculite (an altered mica, exfoliates on heating), Sericite (fine-grained muscovite) and Talc. A refractive index of 1.55-1.62 and a specific gravity near 2.76-3.00 separate it quickly.
What is mica (Industrial) used for besides jewellery?
heavy industry, cosmetics, drilling fluids and mineral collecting. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
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