What are Minerals?

Minerals: are crystalline solids are inorganic substances (not carbon based) are formed through natural processes have a specific chemical composition

Groups silicates native elements carbonates halides oxides phosphates sulphates sulphides

Silicates The two most abundant elements, silicon and oxygen combine to form the basic building block for most common minerals. Four oxygen atoms are packed together around a single silicon atom. A silica tetrahedron is the result.

1000 silicate minerals make up 90% of Earth’s crust

Native elements contain only one type of element gold, sulpher, silver, diamond

Carbonates Contain one carbon and three oxygen contain other element, such as calcium

Hydroxides Produced when -OH binds to metals bauxite and limonite

Halides salts that form when water evaporates contain a halogen (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine) bound to a metal ion

Oxides Contain one or two metal ions combined with oxygen Hematite (Fe2O3) Magnetite (Fe3O4)

Phosphates similar in structure to silicate minerals Contain phosphate with arsenic or vanadium bound to oxygen to form a tetrahedron most are rare

Sulhpates Contain sulphur bound to oxygen they form when water evaporates gypsum is a common sulphate

Sulphides form when metallic elements bind with sulphur do not contain oxygen pyrite is an example