rhizoverbBeta
DictionarymicaLayered mineral
noun

mica

MY-kuh/ˈmaɪkə/

A shiny mineral that splits into thin, flexible sheets.

Tiny flakes of mica sparkle in the rock beside us.

A close-up of a pale golden mica specimen with visibly stacked, glinting layers and several wafer-thin translucent sheets separated beside it.
Etymology
micaLatincrumb, bit, grain

Latin mica meant a crumb or grain. Its application to the shiny mineral probably reflected a supposed connection with micare, “to glitter”; whether the two Latin words actually share an origin remains uncertain.

In context

Earth Science Classroom0:00
the mineral group that contains many minerals and the phyosilicate mineral which means there's sheets of silica tetrahedra and they create perfect cleavage and natural breaks this one is muscovite Mica
Discussing Minerals: Mica - Biotite & Muscovite

More examples

  • Mica splits into thin sheets that bend without breaking.
  • The electrician uses mica to insulate parts that get hot.
  • These micas differ in color and chemical composition.

Forms

mica · micas

micaceous adjective — Containing mica or resembling its structure.