The Ethical Concerns

Mica is a versatile and crucial mineral celebrated for its unique physical and chemical properties. Used extensively in industries ranging from cosmetics and electronics to paint and construction, mica's significance cannot be overstated. However, the process of extracting and refining mica involves complex procedures, typically conducted in specialized mica processing plants. This article explores the role of mica processing plants and highlights their importance in ensuring the responsible and efficient production of this valuable mineral.

Pearl pigment mica powder is a fine, lightweight powder derived from natural minerals, primarily mica, which is known for its reflective and refractive qualities. This mineral is ground into a fine powder and often treated with additional coloring agents to create a variety of stunning hues. The result is a lustrous, shimmering effect that resembles the iridescence found in pearls, hence the name.

A group of parallel cleavages can be seen in a photograph of biomica under orthogonal polarized (left) and single polarized (right) mirrors.

In 2022, Lingshou Huajing Mica Co., Ltd. launched cosmetic grade mica powder. The flake structure of mica powder can lock the water on the surface of the skin, forming a protective film to effectively prevent water loss. Its unique gloss and reflection effect add natural and charming luster to the skin, and mica powder also has a certain sunscreen effect. To a certain extent, it can reduce the damage of ultraviolet rays on the skin, protect the skin from the external environment, and prevent sunburn.

Take pearlescent pigments as an example, pearlescent pigments are a class of pigments with pearl luster, which are deposited on the substrate (generally natural mica, synthetic mica, glass sheet and other sheet-like materials) above a layer or alternately deposited multiple layers of metal oxides or non-metallic oxides and formed a flat sandwich body with a structure similar to sandwich. Due to the difference in refractive index between the substrate and the oxide deposited on its surface and each oxide, when the light shines on the surface of the pearlescent pigment, the incident light will be refracted and reflected at the interface of each layer of the pearlescent pigment, and the color of the pearlescent pigment that people see is the result of the superposition of light after multiple refractions and reflections of the light, that is, the interference phenomenon of light.

A group of parallel cleavages can be seen in a photograph of biomica under orthogonal polarized (left) and single polarized (right) mirrors.