A common black or dark brown mineral containing potassium, aluminum, and iron that forms in igneous and metamorphic rocks.
Named after French scientist Jean-Baptiste Biot in 1847 by German mineralogist Ernst Müller, with -ite (mineral suffix). The name honors Biot's optical research relevant to the mineral's properties.
Biotite is one of Earth's most abundant minerals—it's so sparkly that many people mistake tiny biotite flecks in rocks for gold when they're panning in streams!
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