Identification and characterization of mica minerals in mine spoils and their potential in plant nutrition

Mica deposits are rich in India, with nearly two thirds discarded as waste during the cleaning andprocessing stages. In this study waste mica from mica mines in Andhra Pradesh was collected and characterizedfor its structural, chemical and morphological properties. The elemental composition analysisconfirmed the presence of 49.23% SiO2, 18.26% Al2O3, 15.45% MgO, 11.28% Fe2O3, and 3.81% K2O, withthe high iron content confirming the waste mica as biotite. The Mg/Fe, Fe/(Fe+Mg) ratio and XRD resultsfurther confirms this identification. FTIR, and SEM analyses highlighted the characteristic peaks andmorphology of biotite in these mine spoils. Plant growth experiments demonstrated the waste mica/boitie’ssuitability as a nutrient source, with treated plants exhibiting superior growth compared to control andalternative treatments. This study establishes waste mica/biotite as a promising source for enhancingplant nutrient availability. Field experiments are essential to optimize the combination of waste mica andnutrients, presenting a potentially cost-effective approach for potassium management in hitherto deficientsoils.