Green mica which had been found in the Jangsan Quartzite (metamorphosed orthoquartzite) of Cambrian age, exposed in the Janggun mine area, Republic of Korea, was mineralogically investigated. As a result, it has been confirmed that the mineral is vanadium-bearing muscovite containing a small amount of chromium. The mineral flakes occur mainly along the boundaries between quartz grains, closely associated with vanadium tourmaline and graphite. The mineralogical properties of the dark green variety may be summarized as follows.
Basal cleavage is very perfect, optically negative, 2
V=35°36'(observed), 31°10'(calculated). Refractive indices:α
D=1.573, β
D=1.610, γ
D=1.613, γ
D-α
D=0. 040 (all±0.001). Density (calculated) =2. 84g/cm
3. Analysis by electron microprobe gave: SiO
2 44.70, TiO
2 0.53, Al
2O
3 31.03, Cr
2O
3 0.80, V
2O
3 5.09, FeO 0.89, MgO 0.56, Na
2O 0.34, K
2O 10.51, sum 94.45 (all in weight percent). This corresponds to the formula on the basis of 0=22:(Na
0.09 K
1.83)
Σ1.92 (Al
3.10 Ti
0.06 Cr
3+0.09 V
3+0.56 Fe
2+0.09 Mg
0.11)
Σ4.01 (Si
6.11 Al
1.89)
Σ8.00 O
22. X-ray study showed the mineral to be two-layer monoclinic, 2M
1 polytype, space group
C2/
c or
Cc with
a=5.210,
b=9.032,
c=20.086 Å, β=95°38'. The strongest reflections (30 given) are, 10.01 (66)(002), 5.00 (24)(004), 4.48 (12)(110), 3.50 (11)(114), 3.34 (100)(006), 3.21 (12)(114), 2.996 (15)(025), 2.866 (13)(115), 2.797 (10)(116), 2.571 (16)(202), 1.997 Å(31)(00.10). TG curve shows the gradual and continuous weight decrease from 100 to 1000°C. DTA curve shows extremely broad endotherm with a maximum at 600-700°C. The infrared absorption spectrum is almost identical with that of normal muscovite. The strong absorptions are; 3630cm
-1 in OH stretching region, 471, 530, 750cm
-1 and a triple at 1080, 1035, 990cm
-1 in lattice vibration region. The material is shown in electron micrographs to occur in small, poorly-defined flakes commonly grouped together in irregular aggregates. Selected-area electron diffraction pattern from a thin, single particle shows the
hk diffraction spots with a pseudo-hexagonal array.
From the geological environments of the Janggun mine area and the mode of occurrence of the present green mica, it may be concluded that vanadium and chromium present in the mineral are primary constituents, and that the mineral is of metamorphic origin rather than hydrothermal or metasomatic.
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