Schist is a metamorphic rock that is made mostly of mica minerals and has grains that are large enough to see with the naked eye. To put it another way, this stone sparkles like a Vegas hotel; its dazzling luster is its hallmark trait. The sparkly aesthetic comes from mica minerals, which are nature’s glitter.
If you’ve ever looked at a piece of mica up close, you can tell that it wants to separate into thin flakes. That’s because of the mineral’s internal structure – the atoms are arranged in thin, sheet-like layers. The family of flaky minerals includes muscovite (transparent or silver), biotite (black or brown), chlorite (dark green), talc (white, grey, green), graphite (metallic grey), and others. The flat shape of these minerals reflects light like a mirror, which causes the trademark sparkle.
