Silicate minerals
Encyclopedia : S : SI : SIL : Silicate minerals
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.
Subclasses:
Contents
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
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)
Cyclosilicates
Cyclosilicates, ring silicates, have linked tetrahedra with SixO3x or a ratio of 1:3.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
Double chain inosilicates:
- Amphibole group
- *Anthophyllite
- *Cumingtonite series
- **Cummingtonite
- **Grunerite
- *Tremolite series
- **Tremolite
- **Actinolite
- *Hornblende
- *Sodium amphibole group
- **Glaucophane
- **Riebeckite
- ***Crocidolite - asbestos
- **Arfvedsonite
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
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.- 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
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]
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