Lesson 3: Chemical Composition of Minerals

Silicate Class

It is the largest and most abundant group containing silicon and oxygen with some aluminum, magnesium, iron, and calcium. Silicates are the largest and most common mineral group (92% of Earth's crust.

Carbonate Class

Is mostly found deposited in marine environments. Minerals belonging to this group are formed from the shells of dead plankton and other marine organisms.

Malachite ARAGONITE

Sulphate Class

Forms in areas with high evaporation rates. During this process, the formation of sulphates and halides in water-sediment interface occurs.

Gypsad, Anhydrite

Halide Class

It contains natural salts and includes fluorite, halite, sylvite, and salt ammoniac components. These minerals usually form in lakes, ponds, and other landlocked seas such as the Dead Sea and the Great Salt Lake.

Minerals in this class have relatively low hardness, may be transparent, have good cleavage, have low specific gravities, and are poor conductors of heat electricity.

Oxide Class

Is a diverse class. Metallic minerals such as hematite and gemstones such as chrysoberyl and spinel. In science, these minerals are important as they carry histories of changes in Earth's magnetic field.

Chrysoberyl

Hematite

Sulfide Class

It has important metals such as copper, lead, and silver, which are considered economically significant. These metals are found in electrical wires, industrial materials, and other things that are needed in construction.

Copper

Silver

Lead

Phosphate Class

Contains minerals with phosphorus.

The phosphate class is considered an important biological mineral found in the teeth and bones of many animals.

Arsenic

Vanadium

Native Element Class

Contains metals and intermetallic elements (e.g., gold, silver, copper), semimetals, nonmetals (e.g.. antimony, bismuth, graphite, sulphur) or natural alloys, and constituents of a few are meteorites.