Muscovite is the most common white mica mineral. Muscovite has a layered structure of aluminum silicate sheets weakly bonded together by layers of potassium ions. Large, clear plates of mica were once commonly used for windows, and the productive Russian mica mines gave muscovite its name.

Muscovite has many uses such as coatings to stop stickiness on rubber surfaces, thickeners for house paint to improve weatherability, additives to increase life span of road paints and is used in caulking compounds, lubricants, greases, welding-rod coatings and dry-powder fire extinghuishers.