India is a major producer of Mica in the world. It is the largest producer of sheet mica. According to British Geological Survey, the world’s largest deposit of mica is at Koderma district in the state of Jharkhand (India).
About 95% of India’s mica is distributed in just three states of Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan.
1. Jharkhand: Jharkhand has richest mica belt and accounts for 60% of India’s production in terms of value. Here, mica is found in a belt extending for about 150 km in length and 32 km in width from Gaya district of Bihar to Hazaribagh and Koderma districts of Jharkhand. Koderma is a well-known place for mica production in Jharkhand which produces more than 50% of the total mica production in India.
2. Andhra Pradesh: This is the second largest producer and accounts for nearly 25% of India’s mica. The main belt lies in Nellore district and is 97 kms long and 24-30 km wide.
3. Rajasthan: The main mica-bearing belt of Rajasthan extends from Jaipur to Udaipur. This is 322 km long with an average width of 96 km. This is quite wide in its middle part near Bhilwara. The main mica-producing districts are Bhilwara, Jaipur, Tonk, Sikar, Dungarpur and Ajmer.
4. Other Producers: Some mica is produced in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. These areas account for just 1% mica production of India.