Minerals

MineralsBy: Edward Liu

What makes up the Earth?

You have probably heard the word mineral before. Well, what are minerals? Some might say rocks, others might say gems, and both would be correct. Minerals are substances that:

1. Has a crystalline structure2. Are naturally occurring3. Are nonliving4. Are solids

Silicate minerals

There are two groups of minerals, the silicate and non-silicate.

They are separated by their chemical composition. Silicates contain oxygen and silicon, the two most abundant

elements in the Earth’s crust. About 90% of minerals are silicate. Most silicate minerals are a combination of an element

mixed with silicon and oxygen.

+ =

Examples of silicate minerals

Quartz – primary mineral that is in many rocks.

Mica – minerals that separate into sheets.

Feldspar – group of minerals that make up most of the Earth’s

crust.

Olivine – common mineral in Earth’s subsurface.

Non-silicate minerals

Non-silicate minerals are minerals that do not have a combination of oxygen and silicon in them.

Non-silicate minerals include some elements. Non-silicate minerals are less common in the Earth’s crust

than silicate minerals.

X X

Examples of non-silicate minerals

Native Elements: composed of one element. Copper, gold, silver, graphite, etc.

Carbonates: contains combination of carbon and oxygen. Calcite, magnesite, etc.

Halides: compounds formed when fluorine, chlorine, iodine, or bromine mixes with sodium, potassium, or calcium. Fluorite, halite, etc.

Oxides: compounds formed when an element is chemically combined with oxygen. Ice, magnetite, corundum, etc.

Note: Images are in the order in which they were listed in.

Non-silicate minerals, cont.

Sulfates: minerals that have sulfur and oxygen in them. Gypsum, barite, etc.

Sulfides: minerals that contain one or more elements. Galena, cobaltite, etc.

Thanks for watching!