1. Mineral Groups
Chapter 4 Section 2

2. Mineral Groups
Silicates
Carbonates
Oxides
Others

3. Silicates
Oxygen in the most abundant element in Earth’s crust, followed by silicon.
Silicates: Minerals that contain silicon and oxygen, and usually one or more elements
Make up 96% of the minerals in the crust
* feldspar and quartz: The two most
common minerals in the crust. Both of
them are silicates.

4. Silicates
The basic building block of the silicates is the silicon-oxygen tetrahedron.
A tetrahedron is a geometric solid having four sides that are equilateral triangles.

5. Silicates Oxygen atom: Silicon atom: 6 valence electrons

6. Silicates

7. Silicates
Individual tetrahedron ions are strongly bonded. They can bond together to form:
sheets : Mica
(K and Al join tetrahedra)
chains: Asbestos
(weak bonds of tetrahedra)
complex structures: Quartz
The bonds between the atoms help determine several mineral properties.

8. Silicates

9. Carbonates
Oxygen combines easily with almost all other elements, and forms other mineral groups.
Carbonates: Minerals composed of one or more metallic elements and a carbonate ion.

10. Carbonates Examples Calcite: used in construction,
as a pigment, pharmaceutical
Dolomite: used as a source of
calcium and magnesium.
Rhodochrosite: gemstones

11. Carbonates They are the primary minerals found in rocks such as:
Limestone: neutralize acidic soil
Marble: construction

12. Oxides Oxides: Compounds of oxygen and metal Examples:
Hematite (Fe2O3)
Magnetite (Fe3O4)
Uranitite (UO2): major source of uranium
(generate nuclear power)

13. Other groups Sulfides: Sulfur + one or more elements. Sulfates:
Example: Pyrite
Sulfates:
Sulfate ion + one or more elements.
Example: Anhydrite (gypsum)
Halides: Chloride / Fluoride + Ca / Na / K
Example: Halite (NaCl)
Native Elements: Made up of only one element
Examples: Silver (Ag) and Copper (Cu)

14. Summarizing Types of Minerals Silicates: Silicon + Oxygen
Carbonates: One or more metallic elements + carbonate ion
Oxides: Compounds of oxygen and a metal
Other groups: Sulfides, sulfates, halides, and native elements

15. Final thoughts… Why wasn’t the geologist hungry?
He had lost his apatite…