Lecture 5

Minerals and Silicates

 Outline Questions

What are compounds?

Why are complex ions important
What are the Mineral groups?
Describe the Physical properties of minerals
What is the silica tetrahedral and why is it
important?
 Contined from last time
Bonded elements = Compounds!
 Compounds bonded elements
Compounds, then are:
Often neutral in overall charge
If existing as a solid, compounds have
Geometric packing
Exhibit closest packing (determined by the prevailing
energy conditions during mineral formation)

How do the atoms arrange themselves?

By Size and Charge
 Ions and Atomic radii
Atomic radii
The distance from the center of nucleus to the outer
electron shell
i.e. the size of an atom
Cations v Anions
Which is larger and why?
Cations lose electrons; Anions gain electrons
Size also determined by atomic number, the
more Protons and Neutrons, then, the larger the
atom
 NaCl
HALITE

Crystal structure is a repeating geometric sequence

beginning at the micro scale and continuing to macro scale

CaCO3
CALCITE
 Polymorphs:
Minerals that have the same formula
but different crystal structure
 Complex Ions (radicals)
In some cases, covalently bonded compounds
can still retain a charge
Example: Carbon can give up 4 electrons to
empty its half-filled shell
Results in C4+ Ion
Oxygen can gain 2 electrons to fill shell
Results in O2- Ion
Thus, one C4+ atom can covalently bond with two
O2- atoms to form the electrically neutral CO2
compound
 Complex Ions (radicals)
However, at other times, the C4+ may actually
bond with 3 O2-, thus the overall compound is:
CO3 which has a 2- charge. It is depicted as
(CO3)2- and these charged compounds are
known as a Complex Ion or Radical
(CO3)2- is called Carbonate and will bond with
other cations such as Ca2+ to form CaCO3 which
as a mineral is known as Calcite. It could also
bond with Fe3+ to form the mineral Siderite.
 Complex Ions (radicals)
Silicon and Oxygen can also form a complex
ion. Si4+ can bond with 4 O2- to make the SiO4
ion (called silica).
(SiO4)4- can bond with a variety of cations or
combinations of cations to make many different
compounds/minerals
Highly important Si and O are the two most
common elements in earths crust (Al is #3) and
thus form the basis for the majority of minerals
and rocks!
More discussion on silicate minerals later
 Classification of minerals

Minerals are classified by their Anions or

Anionic radical group (except native
elements)
1. Native elements Au, Ag, Cu, Diamond
(C), etc.
 Classification of minerals
2. Oxides: Cations combine with oxygen (valence of 2)

Hematite
Iron Oxide
Fe2O3 Magnetite
Iron oxide
Rubies and Fe3O4
Sapphires
Aluminum oxide
Al2O3
 Classification of minerals
3. Sulfides: Cations combine with sulfur (valence of 2)

Pyrite Galena
iron sulfide lead sulfide
FeS2 PbS
 Classification of minerals
4. Halides: Cations combine with anions that have a
valence of 1 (chlorine, fluorine, bromine, etc.)

Halite Fluorite
sodium chloride calcium fluoride
NaCl CaF2
 Classification of minerals
5. Carbonates: Cations combine with the (CO3)-2 unit

Calcite Dolomite
calcium carbonate magnesium carbonate
CaCO3 Ca, Mg(CO3)
 Classification of minerals
6. Sulfates: Cations combine with a negatively charged
unit that consists of 1 sulfur and 4 oxygen ions (SO 4)-2

Gypsum
calcium sulfate
Ca(SO4)
 Classification of minerals
7. Silicates: Cations combine with a unit that consists
of 1 silicon and 4 oxygen ions (SiO4)-4

Together, oxygen (O) and silicon (Si)

make up about 75% of the Earths
crust
Collectively, silicates comprise
about 1/3 of all mineral species

Silicate minerals account for about

95% of the volume of the Earths
crust and are the Rock-forming
minerals
Quartz (SiO2)
 Remember.
A mineral is:
Naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a
specific chemical formula and definite
crystal structure
 NaCl
HALITE

Crystal structure is a repeating geometric sequence

beginning at the micro scale and continuing to macro scale

CaCO3
CALCITE
 Mineral properties

Determined by Chemistry and/or Crystal

structure
 Physical properties of Minerals
Luster how it reflects light
Color not very diagnostic in many cases
Streak color of powdered residue
Cleavage preferred planes of weakness
Bonds!
Hardness resistance to scratching
Special properties taste, smell,
magnetism, effervescence
Color (?)

Luster: the appearance of

a mineral in reflected light

Cleavage: the tendency to break

Streak: the color of the along parallel planes
powdered mineral
Special properties: effervescence,
magnetism, fluorescence, taste, smell
 Complex Ions (radicals)
The silica-oxygen tetrahedral
SiO4
 Silicate minerals
7. Silicates: Cations combine with a unit that consists
of 1 silicon and 4 oxygen ions (SiO4)-4

Together, oxygen (O) and silicon (Si)

make up about 75% of the Earths
crust
Collectively, silicates comprise
about 1/3 of all mineral species

Silicate minerals account for about

95% of the volume of the Earths
crust and are the Rock-forming
minerals
Quartz (SiO2)
 The basic building block of all silicate
minerals is the silicon-oxygen tetrahedron
4 oxygen ions, each with a valence of -2 (4 X 2 = -8)
1 silicon ion, with a valence of +4 (1 X +4 = +4)
-4

The structure of the

(SiO4)-4 unit is a function
of the radii (or size) of
the ions
 The SiO4 Tetrahedral
can be represented in many ways:

Imagine a tennis ball surrounded by 4 volleyballs

 Because the SiO4 still has a 4- charge, it can bond
to other silica tetrahedrals, and a variety of Cations
(Also called 3D structure)
Various Cations can bond with silicates
 Sometimes various cations may substitute
for one another

Si and Al are about the same size, but have different charges
(SiO4) -4 and (AlO4) -5

This adds variety and complexity

to the potential for mineral forms
Types of 3-D silicate minerals

Feldspar

Plagioclase Orthoclase
(NaAlSi3O8 (KAlSi3O8)
CaAl2Si2O8)
 Rock-Forming Minerals
About 20 common minerals make up
most rocks
Silicates dominate
Quartz, Feldspars, Mica, Amphiboles,
Pyroxenes
Silicates can also be subdivided by
composition
Ferromagnesium High in Iron and Magnesium
Sialic High in Silica and Aluminum
 Ferromag Minerals
MAFIC
Silicate minerals rich in iron and
magnesium
Relatively high density and higher
crystallization temperatures
Olivine Isolated SiO4 Tetrahedra
Pyroxenes Single Chains
Amphiboles Double Chains
Mica biotite Sheet silicates
 Sialic Minerals
FELSIC
Silicate minerals rich in silicon and
aluminum
Relatively low densities and low crystallization
temperatures
Quartz Framework Silicates
Feldspars - Framework Silicates
Potassium feldspar
Plagioclase feldspar
Mica muscovite Sheet silicates
Sialic Minerals
 Minerals
Naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a
specific chemical formula and definite
crystal structure
The crystal structure and the elements
involved indicate much about the
conditions in which a mineral formed
Silicate minerals (SiO4), comprise about
95 % of earth material
 Minerals and Temperature
Non-silicate minerals, in general, form at lower
temperature and pressure conditions than do
silicate minerals
Oxides, Halides, Hydroxides, Carbonates, Sulfates,
etc
Ferromag silicate minerals form at higher
temperatures than do Sialic minerals
Ferromags high in Fe and Mg (as well as Ca)
Sialic high in Si, Al and O, little or no Fe, Mg, Ca
 Rocks = Aggregates of minerals
Therefore, minerals provide clues as to how the rocks
may have formed
What parts of earth do you expect lower Pressures and
Temperature? Where would you expect to find Higher P and T?
Further, the presence or absence of certain minerals
may also indicate the processes that have acted upon
our rocks, over time
How minerals are arranged in rocks (their relationship to
one another) also provides insight towards the rock-
forming processes
Rocks are classified by: 1) Texture the size, shape and
arrangement of crystals, and 2) Composition
(mineralogy)
Example of a rock and the mineral composition + texture
 3 Main Categories of Rocks
Each category will be further subdivided
Igneous new rocks being made
Form from crystallizing magma/lava
High temperature minerals
Sedimentary weathering of pre-existing rocks
Form from weathering, erosion and deposition of
sediments and minerals
Chemical precipitates (Abiotic and biotic)
Lower temperature minerals
Metamorphic alteration of pre-existing rocks
Form from combinations of Heat, Pressure, + Fluids
High T and/or P minerals
Recrystallize, but DO NOT melt!
The role of Plate Tectonics
to Rock formation