1. Mineral Groups
Section 5.4

2. Mineral Groups Silicates (SiO) Carbonates (CaCO)
Halides (F, Br, Cl, I)
Oxides (O + metal)
Sulfides (S + metal)
Sulfates (S + O)
Native Minerals (single elements)

3. Which Elements Make up the Earth’s crust? the top 8
#1 Oxygen
#2 Silicon
#3 Aluminum
#4 Iron
#5 Calcium
#6 Sodium
#7 Potassium
#8 Magnesium

4. How can these 8 elements be the most abundant in the Earth’s crust?
Essential Question:
How can these 8 elements be the most abundant in the Earth’s crust?
Oxygen (a gas) and
Silicon (a metalloid) are
the #1 and #2 most abundant elements in the earth’s crust?

5. How can it be that… #1 element in Earth’s crust is OXYGEN (a gas) and
#2 element in Earth’s crust is SILICON
(a metalloid)
And Earth’s crust is SOLID ?
The silicon-oxygen tetrahedron
(SiO4)- ion
(Shape)

6. The silicon-oxygen tetrahedron (SiO4)- ion Combines with many +ions in many structures to form many different silicate minerals.
Show the GeoDe CD-ROM lesson on mineral groups

7. Silicates Group and Examples
The largest group of minerals
(90% of all rock forming minerals are silicates!)
Feldspar
(K,Ca,Na)AlSi3O8
Quartz,
SiO2 silica sand

8. Other Silicates Olivine (Mg, Fe)2SiO4 Zircon ZrSiO4
Topaz Al2SiO4(F,OH)2
Beryl (emerald) Be3Al2Si6O18
Mica KAl2(AlSi3)O10
K Feldspar KAlSi3O8
Talc Mg3Si4O10

9. Silicates are divided by color
Ferromagnesium
Iron or magnesium
metal
Non-ferromagnesium Does NOT contain iron or magnesium

10. Other mineral groups The CARBONATES Calcium carbonate CaCO3
Calcite is pure calcium carbonate
Limestone
Dolomite

11. Halides Halides contain chlorine, fluorine, bromine F, Cl, Br, I
Common examples include salt (halite) NaCl
fluorite (our state mineral) CaF2

12. Oxides Oxide minerals are made up of oxygen and one or more metals.
Hematite: is an iron oxide, of Fe2O3
Hematite is used in pigments and as an iron ore.
Limonite, another iron oxide, Fe2O3 (nH2O)
Fe3O4
Hematite Fe2O3

13. Sulfides Sulfide minerals contain sulfur and a metal
Pyrite: iron and sulfur FeS2
It is used in sulfuric acid, explosives, fertilizers and insecticides.
Galena: lead and sulfur PbS
It is used in auto batteries, solder, ammunition, and paint.

14. Sulfates
Sulfate minerals contain sulfur and oxygen (SO4) combined with other elements.
• Common sulfate minerals include:
gypsum CaSO4 used in drywall and plaster of paris
barite BaSO4 used in paint, paper and textiles

15. Native Minerals

16. 1. CaCO3 2. Cu2O 3. FeCO3 4. Al2O3 5. SiO2 6. PbS 7. FeO2 8. (Mg)2SiO4
Mineral
Group
Specific gravity
High or low
IF a silicate,
Ferromagnesian or Non-ferromagnesian
1. CaCO3
2. Cu2O
3. FeCO3
4. Al2O3
5. SiO2
6. PbS
7. FeO2
8. (Mg)2SiO4
9. CaSO4
10. BaSO4
11. CaMg(CO3)2
12. Fe3O4

17. Bell work: (a.k.a.) the week in review
What 5 characteristics do all minerals have?
List 3 properties to identify minerals (ID Lab):
90% of minerals contain this compound
name this molecule
3. What is this mineral?
4. What’s the most abundant element in the earth’s crust?

18. 5-4-3-2-1 Home work! List the 5 characteristics of a mineral
Describe 4 factors and how they effect crystal size
Describe 3 ways that mineral form
Diagram 2 polymorph forms of carbon
Name the 1 most abundant mineral group in the earth’s crust