The silicate minerals make up the largest and most important class of rock-forming minerals. They are classified based on the structure of their silicate anion group. Minerals are natural compounds formed through geological processes. ...

Subclasses:

Nesosilicates

Nesosilicates (or orthosilicates) have SiO₄ tetrahedra that are isolated and connected by interstitial cations.

• Phenakite group
  • Phenakite
  • Willemite
• Olivine group
  • Forsterite
  • Fayalite
• Garnet group
  • Pyrope
  • Almandine
  • Spessartine
  • Grossular
  • Andradite
  • Uvarovite
  • Hydrogrossular
• Zircon group
  • Zircon
  • Thorite
• Al₂SiO₅ group
  • Andalusite
  • Kyanite
  • Sillimanite
  • Dumortierite
  • Topaz
  • Staurolite
• Humite group
• Datolite
• Titanite
• Chloritoid

Phenakite is a mineral which was found long ago in the well-known emerald deposits east of Sverdlovsk in the Urals, but was mistaken for quartz. ... Willemite is a zinc silicate (Zn2SiO4)and a minor ore of zinc. ... Olivine The mineral olivine is a magnesium iron silicate with the formula (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 in which the ratio of magnesium and iron varies between the two endmembers of the series: forsterite (Mg-rich) and fayalite (Fe-rich). ... Forsterite (Mg2SiO4) is the magnesium rich end-member of the olivine solid-solution series. ... Fayalite (Fe2SiO4) is the iron rich end-member of the olivine solid-solution series. ... The garnet group of minerals show crystals with a habit of rhombic dodecahedrons and trapezohedrons. ... The pyrope is a garnet. ... Almandine, or almandite, is a name applied to certain kinds of precious garnet, being apparently a corruption of alabandicus, which is the name applied by Pliny to a stone found or worked at Alabanda, a town in Caria in Asia Minor. ... Spessartine is a kind of garnet. ... A pale green, pink, brown, or black garnet, Ca3Al2(SiO4)3, occurring alone or as a constituent of the common garnet. ... Andradite is a kind of garnet. ... Uvarovite is a chromium bearing garnet: Ca3Cr2(SiO4)3. ... Zircon is a mineral belonging to the group of nesosilicates. ... Thorite, (Th,U)SiO4, is a rare nesosilicate of thorium that crystallizes in the tetragonal system and is isomorphous with zircon. ... Andalusite-cordierite schist (Large brown crystals are Andalusite Andalusite is an aluminium nesosilicate mineral with the chemical formula Al2SiO5. ... Kyanite, whose name derives from the Greek, kyanos, meaning blue, is a typically blue silicate mineral, commonly found in aluminium-rich metamorphic pegmatites and/or sedimentary rock. ... Sillimanite: Biotite gneiss (Mesozoic and Paleozoic) Sillimanite is an alumino-sillicate mineral with the chemical formula Al2SiO5. ... Dumortierite is a glassy pink, green, violet, or blue aluminum borosilicate mineral, Al8BSi3O19OH, used in spark-plug ceramics and as imitation lapis lazuli. ... Topaz The mineral topaz is a nesosilicate of aluminium and fluorine with the chemical formula Al2SiO4(F,OH)2. ... Staurolite Staurolite is a red brown to black mostly opaque nesosilicate mineral with a white streak. ... Humite is an orthorhombic mineral of a transparent vitreous brown to orange color. ... A borosilicate of lime commonly occuring in glassy, greenish crystals. ... Titanite Titanite or sphene is a calcium titanium nesosilicate mineral, CaTiSiO5. ...

Sorosilicates

Sorosilicates have isolated double tetrahedra groups with Si₂O₇ or a ratio of 2:7.

• Hemimorphite (calamine)
• Lawsonite
• Ilvaite
• Epidote group
  • Zoisite
  • Clinozoisite
  • Epidote
  • Allanite
• Vesuvianite (idocrase)

Hemimorphite, is a sorosilicate mineral which has been mined from days of old from the upper parts of zinc and lead ores, chiefly associated with smithsonite. ... Calamine is the common name for an ore of zinc. ... Zoisite is a calcium aluminium hydroxy sorosilicate belonging to the epidote group of minerals. ... Clinozoisite is a mineral, a complex silicate of calcium and Aluminium, formula, Ca2Al3(O,OH,SiO4, Si2O7). ... Epidote from Slovakia Epidote is a calcium aluminium iron sorosilicate mineral, Ca2(Al, Fe)3(SiO4)3(OH), crystallizing in the monoclinic system. ... Allanite is a silicate containing a large amount of cerium. ... Vesuvianite is a green, brown, yellow, or blue metamorphic silicate mineral, Ca10Mg2Al4(SiO4)5(Si2O7)2(OH)4. ... Vesuvianite is a green, brown, yellow, or blue metamorphic silicate mineral, Ca10Mg2Al4(SiO4)5(Si2O7)2(OH)4. ...

Cyclosilicates

Cyclosilicates, ring silicates, have linked tetrahedra with Si_xO_3x or a ratio of 1:3.

• Axinite
• Beryl
• Cordierite
• Tourmaline

Axinite is a brown to violet-brown, or reddish-brown bladed mineral composed of calcium aluminum boro-silicate, (Ca,Fe,Mn)3Al2BO3Si4O12OH. Axinite is pyroelectric and piezoelectric. ... Beryl var. ... Cordierite is a magnesium iron aluminum cyclosilicate with associated water. ... The tourmaline mineral group is chemically one of the most complicated groups of silicate minerals. ...

Inosilicates

Inosilicates, chain silicates, have interlocking chains of silicate tetrahedra with either SiO₃, 1:3 ratio, for single chains or Si₄O₁₁, 4:11 ratio, for double chains.

Single chain inosilicates:

• Pyroxene group
  • Enstatite - orthoferrosilite series
    • Enstatite
    • Bronzite
    • Hypersthene
    • Clinohypersthene
  • Pigeonite
  • Diopside - hedenbergite series
    • Diopside
    • Hedenbergite
    • Johannsenite
    • Augite
  • Sodium pyroxene series
    • Jadeite
    • Omphacite
    • Acmite (aegirine)
  • Spodumene
• Pyroxenoid group
  • Wollastonite
  • Rhodonite
  • Pectolite

Figure 1:Mantle-peridotite xenolith with green peridot olivine and black pyroxene crystals from San Carlos Indian Reservation, Gila Co. ... The pyroxene silicate minerals enstatite (MgSiO3) and ferrosilite (FeSiO3) form a complete solid solution series and are common rock-forming minerals found in igneous and metamorphic rocks and meteorites. ... Bronzite is a member of the pyroxene group of minerals, belonging with enstatite and hypersthene to the orthorhombic series of the group. ... Hypersthene is a common rock-forming mineral belonging to the group of orthorhombic pyroxenes. ... This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... Diopside is a monoclinic pyroxene mineral with composition MgCaSi2O6. ... Hedenbergite, or calcium iron pyroxene, is a black mineral closely allied to diopside and, owing to the isomorphous replacement of iron by magnesium, there is no sharp line of division between them. ... Augite is a mafic mineral described chemically as (Ca, Na)(Mg, Fe, Al)(Al, Si)2O6 or calcium sodium magnesium iron aluminium silicate. ... Jadeite is a pyroxene mineral with composition NaAlSi2O6. ... Omphacite is a member of the pyroxene group of silicate minerals with formula: (Ca,Na)(Mg,Fe2+,Al)Si2O6. ... Aegirine is an inosilicate member of the clinopyroxene group. ... Spodumene is a pyroxene mineral consisting of lithium aluminium inosilicate - LiAl(SiO3)2 - and is a source of lithium. ... Wollastonite is a calcium inosilicate mineral (CaSiO3) that may contain small amounts of iron, magnesium, and manganese substituting for calcium. ... A piece of rhodonite Rhodonite is a member of the pyroxene group of minerals, consisting of manganese inosilicate, (Mn,Fe,Mg,Ca)SiO3, and crystallizing in the triclinic system. ... I hate it from Lebranon ...

Double chain inosilicates:

• Amphibole group
  • Anthophyllite
  • Cumingtonite series
    • Cummingtonite
    • Grunerite
  • Tremolite series
    • Tremolite
    • Actinolite
  • Hornblende
  • Sodium amphibole group
    • Glaucophane
    • Riebeckite
      • Crocidolite - asbestos
    • Arfvedsonite

For the logical fallacy, see Amphibology. ... Anthophyllite is an amphibole mineral: (Mg, Fe)7Si8O22(OH)2, magnesium iron inosilicate hydroxide. ... Cummingtonite or magnesium iron silicate hydroxide is a mineral with the chemical composition (Mg,Fe)7Si8O22(OH)2. ... Grunerite is a mineral of the amphibole group of minerals with formula Fe7Si8O22(OH)2. ... Amphibole (Hornblende) Amphibole defines an important group of dark-colored rock-forming inosilicate minerals composed of double chain SiO4 tetrahedra linked at the vertices and generally containing ions of iron and/ or magnesium in their structures. ... Well-cleaved, dark, fine-grained chlorite-actinolite metadiabase intrudes light granitic gneiss Actinolite is an inosilicate mineral with the chemical formula Ca2(MgFe)5Si8O22(OH)2 // Mineralogy Actinolite is an intermediate member in a series between tremolite (Mg-rich) and ferro-actinolite (Fe-rich). ... Amphibole (Hornblende) Hornblende is a complex inosilicate series of minerals. ... Glaucophane is a mineral belonging to the amphibole group, chemical formula Na2(Mg,Fe)3Al2Si8O22(OH)2. ... Riebeckite is a sodium-rich member of the amphibole group of minerals, chemical formula Na2(Fe,Mg)5Si8O22(OH)2. ... Amphibole (Hornblende) Amphibole defines an important group of dark-colored rock-forming inosilicate minerals composed of double chain SiO4 tetrahedra linked at the vertices and generally containing ions of iron and/ or magnesium in their structures. ... Fibrous asbestos on muscovite Asbestos Asbestos Asbestos (a misapplication of Latin: asbestos quicklime from Greek ἄσβεστος: a-, not; sbestos, extinguishable) describes any of a group of fibrous metamorphic minerals of the hydrous magnesium silicate variety. ... Arfvedsonite is a sodium amphibole mineral with composition: Na3(Fe,Mg)4FeSi8O22(OH)2: sodium, iron, magnesium, inosilicate, hydroxide. ...

Phyllosilicates

Phyllosilicates, sheet silicates, form parallel sheets of silicate tetrahedra with Si₂O₅ or a 2:5 ratio.

• Serpentine group
  • Antigorite
  • Chrysotile
• Clay mineral group
  • Kaolinite
  • Smectite
    • Montmorillonite
  • Illite
• Talc
• Pyrophyllite
• Mica group
  • Muscovite
  • Phlogopite
  • Biotite
  • Lepidolite
  • Margarite
• Chlorite group
• Apophyllite
• Prehnite

Serpentine Serpentine is a group of common rock-forming hydrous magnesium iron phyllosilicate ((Mg, Fe)3Si2O5(OH)4) minerals; it is also often rich in other metal ores, including chromium, manganese, cobalt and nickel. ... Antigorite is a monoclinic mineral from the kaolinite-serpentine group. ... Chrysotile Asbestos Chrysotile is an asbestiform sub-group within the serpentine group of minerals. ... For the town in the United States, see Clay, New York. ... Kaolin Kaolinite (Aluminium Silicate Hydroxide) Kaolinite is a clay mineral with the chemical composition Al2Si2O5(OH)4. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Clay. ... Montmorillonite is a very soft phyllosilicate mineral that typically forms in microscopic crystals, forming a clay. ... Structure of Illite mica - USGS. Illite is a non-expanding, clay-sized, micaceous mineral. ... Talc block Talcum Powder Talc is a mineral composed of hydrated magnesium silicate with the chemical formula H2Mg3(SiO3)4 or Mg3Si4O10(OH)2. ... Pyrophyllite is a mineral species belonging to the clay family and composed of hydrous aluminium silicate HAl (SiOf)2. ... rock with mica Mica sheet mica flakes The mica group of minerals includes several closely related materials having highly perfect basal cleavage. ... Muscovite layer Muscovite, also known as potash mica, is a phyllosilicate mineral of aluminium and potassium with formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(F,OH)2. ... Phlogopite is a yellow, greenish or reddish brown member of the mica family of phyllosilicates. ... A Biotite slice Biotite is a common phyllosilicate mineral that contains potassium, magnesium, iron and aluminium. ... Lepidolite (KLi2Al(Al,Si)3O10(F,OH)2) is a lilac or rose-violet colored phyllosilicate mineral of the mica group that is a secondary source of lithium. ... Chlorite is a group of phyllosilicate minerals often classified as clays. ... Prehnite is a phyllosilicate of calcium and aluminium with the formula: Ca2Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)2. ...

Tectosilicates

Tectosilicates, or "framework silicates", have a three-dimensional framework of silicate tetrahedra with SiO₂ or a 1:2 ratio. This is the largest group, comprising nearly 75% of the crust of the Earth. Earth cutaway from core to exosphere. ... Earth (often referred to as The Earth) is the third planet in the solar system in terms of distance from the Sun, and the fifth in order of size. ...

• Quartz group
  • Quartz
  • Tridymite
  • Cristobalite
  • Opal
• Feldspar group
  • Potassium-feldspars
    • Microcline
    • Orthoclase
    • Sanidine
  • Plagioclase feldspars
    • Albite
    • Oligoclase
    • Andesine
    • Labradorite
    • Bytownite
    • Anorthite
• Feldspathoid group
  • Leucite
  • Nephiline
  • Sodalite
  • Lazurite
• Petalite
• Scapolite group
  • Marialite
  • Meionite
• Analcime
• Zeolite group
  • Natrolite
  • Chabazite
  • Heulandite
  • Stilbite

Quartz is amongst one of the most common minerals in the Earths continental crust. ... Tridymite Tridymite is a high-temperature polymorph of quartz and usually occurs as minute tabular white or colorless pseudo-hexagonal triclinic crystals, or scales, in cavities in acidic volcanic rocks. ... Common in volcanic rocks, cristobalite is a high-temperature polymorph of quartz and tridymite. ... For other uses, see Opal (disambiguation). ... Feldspar is the name of an important group of rock-forming minerals which make up perhaps as much as 60% of the Earths crust. ... Microcline (KAlSi3O8) is an important igneous rock forming tectosilicate mineral. ... Orthoclase (KAlSi3O8) is an important igneous rock forming tectosilicate mineral. ... Orthoclase (KAlSi3O8) is an important igneous rock forming tectosilicate mineral. ... Lunar Ferroan Anorthosite #60025 (Plagioclase Feldspar). ... Albite is an alkali feldspar mineral. ... Oligoclase is a rock-forming mineral belonging to the plagioclase feldspars. ... Andesine is a feldspar mineral, a part of the plagioclase series. ... Labradorite, a feldspar mineral, is a member of the plagioclase series. ... Bytownite is a calcium rich member of the plagioclase solid solution series of feldspar minerals. ... Anorthite is one of the plagioclase feldspars, an important group of minerals abundant in the Earths crust. ... The feldspathoids are a group of tectosilicate minerals which resemble feldspars but have a different structure and much lower silica content. ... Leucite or amphigene is a rock-forming mineral composed of potassium and aluminium metasilicate KAl(SiO3)2. ... Nephiline ((Na,K)AlSiO4) is a mineral found almost exclusively in the zinc deposits at Franklin, New Jersey, often in intimate mixture with franklinite and willemite. ... Sodalite is a rare, rich royal blue mineral widely enjoyed as an ornamental stone. ... A block of lapis lazuli Lapis lazuli is one of the oldest of all gems, with a history of use stretching back 7,000 years. ... Petalite is a lithium aluminiumtectosilicate mineral LiAlSi4O10, crystallizing in the monoclinic system. ... Scapolite (Gr. ... Meionite is a silicate mineral belonging to the scapolite group with the formula Ca4Al6Si6O24CO3. ... Analcite or analcime (from the Greek analkimos - weak) is a white, grey, or colourless tectosilicate mineral. ... Zeolite Zeolites (Greek, zein,to boil;lithos,a stone) are minerals that have a porous structure. ... Natrolite is a mineral species belonging to the zeolite group. ... Categories: Silicate minerals | Mineral stubs ... Heulandite - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Stilbite is a mineral of the zeolite group consisting of hydrated calcium aluminium silicate, NaCa2Al5Si13O36*14H2O. Stilbite from Kiui Island, Alaska, USA Usually a small proportion of the calcium is replaced by sodium. ...

References and external links

• Hurlbut, Cornelius S., 1966 pr, Dana's Manual of Mineralogy, 17th ed., ISBN 0471032883
• Hurlbut, Cornelius S.; Klein, Cornelis, 1985, Manual of Mineralogy, 20th ed., ISBN 0471805807
• Mineral gallery
• Minerals.net
• mindat.org mineral database
• Webmineral.com