Historically, mica mining has been a significant industry in countries like India, Madagascar, and Brazil. India dominates the mica supply chain, especially for the traditional and artisanal mining sector. However, concerns over child labor and unsafe working conditions have led to increasing scrutiny of this industry, paving the way for more ethical sourcing practices. Over the years, while the demand for mica has increased, particularly in the cosmetic market that uses the mineral for its shimmering properties, challenges associated with mining practices have impacted overall production levels.

One of the most striking features of phlogopite mica is its excellent thermal stability. It can withstand high temperatures, making it an ideal material in various industrial applications. The mineral is often used as an insulator in electrical devices and high-temperature applications, such as furnace linings and heat shields. Its ability to remain stable under heat ensures the safety and reliability of materials in critical environments.

The common characteristics of mica group minerals are: layered silicate minerals, monoclinic crystal system, a few trigonal crystal system, the crystals are pseudo-hexagonal columnar, plate and sheet; The aggregate is scaly and foliaceous. It has a set of extremely complete cleavage, along which it is easy to peel into sheets. Therefore, the shape of mica is usually regarded as sheet.

Natural mica powder and synthetic mica powder have differences in production methods, heat resistance and color transparency. As the name suggests, natural mica powder is made from natural mica ore after processing, retaining the original characteristics and composition of the ore. Its main components are SiO2 (about 49%) and Al2O3 (about 30%), while also containing K2O+Na2O (9%-11%) and so on. The synthetic mica powder (such as fluoroglogopicite powder), is the use of a variety of raw materials through high temperature reaction and other chemical methods synthetic, its composition and characteristics can be adjusted and optimized according to the need, the chemical formula is KMg3(AlSi3O10)F2, belongs to the monoclinic crystal system, is a typical layered silicate, relatively single and pure composition. The heat resistance of natural mica powder is generally 500-600℃, and some types, such as phlogopite, can reach 800℃. The heat resistance of synthetic mica powder is more excellent, and it can withstand high temperatures above 1200℃, and the melting point or crystallization temperature is about 1375±5. The transparency of natural mica powder is relatively low, and the color is diverse, including black, yellow, white, gray, green, brown and other colors, and may vary due to different ore types and processing methods. The color of synthetic mica powder is relatively single, usually colorless transparent or white, high whiteness, good optical performance, and high transmittance from ultraviolet to infrared band.

Mica is a very common rock-forming mineral, widely distributed in crystalline rocks. Its general chemical formula can be expressed as: