MUSCOVITE MICA - ROSS & CROMARTY, SCOTLAND
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Little Scatwell, Contin,
Ross & Cromarty, Scotland
An attractive piece of muscovite mica from the well-known deposit of Little Scatwell in Scotland. It is quite a thin piece and therefore noticeably flexible. It is presented in a lidded gift box.Little Scatwell, Contin,
Ross & Cromarty, Scotland
Mica is one of the most common minerals and yet it is also one of the most remarkable. Due to weaknesses between the layers of atoms it splits easily in one direction - a property known as cleavage - and continued splitting creates thin, flexible sheets. The transparent variety of mica is known as muscovite.
During the Second World War mica was an important strategic mineral used extensively in the electrical industry for radio parts. At the beginning of the war it was imported from India and the Geological Survey conducted an extensive search for a domestic supply of the mineral. Two main areas were identified which included a pegmatite deposit at Little Scatwell, west of Inverness. Mica 'books' were extracted from the Little Scatwell quarry and sent for processing in a sorting factory at Pitlochry.
The quarry was only in operation for the duration of the war but mica specimens of reasonable quality can still be found in the area.
Size: 12 x 6.5 x 1 centimetres
Weight: 60 grams
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