COMMON ROCK-

FORMING MINERALS
 SILICATES

• minerals containing 2 of the most abundant elements in the Earth’s crust, namely, silicon and
oxygen.
• Element + SiO4 (Silicate/Silicon Oxygen Tetrahydron)
• Over 90% of the rock-forming minerals belong to this group
• Examples: Quartz, Olivine, Talc
SILICATES

• Most abundant minerals in the Earth's crust

• Silicate ion (tetrahedron), SiO44-

 Quartz (SiO2), K-feldspar (KAlSi3O8), olivine

((Mg, Fe)2SiO4), kaolinite (Al2Si2O5(OH)4)
Quartz (SiO2)
SILICATE STRUCTURE

• Most of the most common rocks in the crust are silicates

• Silicate tetrahedra can combine in several ways to form many common
minerals
• Typical cations:
K+, Ca+, Na+, Mg2+, Al3+, Fe2+
 OXIDES

• minerals containing Oxygen anion (O2-) combined with one or more metal ions
• Element/s + O2
• Examples: hematite, magnetite, chromite
OXIDES

• Compounds of metallic cations and oxygen

• Important for many metal ores needed to make things (e.g., iron, chromium, titanium)

• Ores are economically useful (i.e., possible to mine) mineral deposits

Hematite (Fe2O3)
 SULFATES

• minerals containing Sulfur and Oxygen anion (SO4)- combined with other ions
• Element/s + SO4
• Examples: Gypsum, Barite, Anhydrite
SULFATES

• Minerals with sulfate ion (SO42-)

• Gypsum (CaSO4.H2O), anhydrite (CaSO4)

Gypsum
 Gypsum

Cave of the Crystals

•1,000 feet depth in the silver and lead

Naica Mine

•150 degrees, with 100 % humidity

•4-ft diameter columns 50 ft length

 SULFIDES

• minerals containing sulfur anion (S2)- combined with one or more ions
• Some sulfides are sources of economically important metals such as copper, lead and zinc.
• Element/s + S2
• Examples: Pyrite, Galena, Bornite
SULFIDES

• Metallic cations with sulfide (S2-) ion

• Important for ores of copper, zinc, nickel, lead, iron
• Pyrite (FeS2), galena (PbS)
Galena (PbS)
MINERAL CLASSIFICATION: BASED ON
DOMINANT ELEMENT
Sulfides: contains the element sulfur

Pyrite: fool’s gold; FeS2 Galena: PbS; important ore of

lead
 CARBONATES

• minerals containing the carbonate anion (CO3)2- combined with other elements
• Element/s + CO3
• Examples: Calcite, Dolomite, Malachite
CARBONATES

• Cations with carbonate ion (CO32-)

• Calcite (CaCO3), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2), siderite (FeCO3), smithsonite (ZnCO3)

• Make up many common rocks including limestone and marble

MINERAL CLASSIFICATION: BASED ON
DOMINANT ELEMENT
• Carbonates: contains calcium carbonate; CaCO 3

Calcite: CaCo3 Dolomite: CaMg(CO3)2

Calcite (CaCO3)
Smithsonite (ZnCO3)
 NATIVE ELEMENTS

minerals that a. Metals and Inter-metals – b. Semi-metals – minerals

form as minerals with high thermal
and electrical conductivity,
that are more fragile than
metals and have lower
c. Nonmetals –
nonconductive (sulfur,
individual typically with metallic luster,
low hardness (gold, lead)
conductivity (arsenic,
bismuth)
diamond)

elements
 HALIDES

• minerals containing halogen elements combined with one or more elements

• Element/s + Halogens
• Examples: Chlorine, Fluorine, Halite