1. Mineral Groups

2. General Information
Over 4000 minerals have been found on Earth but we will be studying only the most common ones
Minerals are classified into groups based on their chemical composition

3. Silicates The most common group of minerals on Earth
Forms when silicon and oxygen combine into a structure called the silicon-oxygen tetrahedron (all silicates contain this)
Common mineral examples include quartz, olivine, hornblende, and micas
**Note: this is the most common mineral
group b/c most of Earth’s crust is made
of silicon and oxygen

5. Carbonates The second most common mineral group
These minerals contain the elements carbon, oxygen, and one or more metallic elements
Examples include calcite and dolomite

6. Oxides
These are minerals that contain oxygen and one or more other elements, which are usually metals
Examples include hematite and corundum
**Note: corundum is aka sand paper, rubies, and sapphires

7. Sulfates and Sulfides Minerals that contain the element sulfur
Common examples include gypsum, galena, and pyrite

8. Halides
Minerals that contain a halogen ion plus one or more other elements
*Note: Halogens are elements from Group 7A of the periodic table including fluorine and chlorine
Common example includes Halite

9. Native Elements
These are a group of minerals that exist in relatively pure form
Common examples include gold (Au), silver (Ag), copper (Cu), sulfur (S), and carbon (C)